The Watcher
by vampiredream83
Summary: Rose was taken away from the academy to fulfill a destiny she could have never imagined. After four years of her friends and Dimitri believing she's dead Rose has to return. But not everything is as it seems. Something is horribly wrong, but will anyone work out what it is before it's too late for Rose? Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, only my story line
1. Chapter 1

DESTINY FULFILLED

"She needs to die! A painful death is the only punishment worthy of her crimes against our kind," a dark haired abomination stated angrily in Russian.

"I couldn't agree more Isai, but how do you suppose we do that exactly? How are we supposed to find someone who may not even exist?" another questioned.

Rose could barely contain her laughter when the strigoi mentioned the previous ones name. With Isai meaning 'God is salvation' and all, she found it rather contradictory really. Once upon a time he might have reflected God in some way, but standing in that alley his soul was nowhere in sight.

"Oh she exists, just like the ones before her did," Isai said with over-zealous confidence.

"You're crazy, Isai, no such person could ever exist. It's impossible!" a third intervened, obviously wanting the conversation to end.

"And how do you suppose some of our finest were killed this past week?" Isai questioned. "Guardians? Unlikely, even the unpromised ones don't show that much promise." He laughed bitterly at his own joke, however, Rose seemed to miss the humour. "No one else could be responsible for such…such a…monstrosity."

"And in answer to this _monstrosity_, you believe it is the one and only assassin, whom no one has ever seen?"

"Never seen and lived to tell about it," Isai muttered under his breath.

"No, now boys, didn't your mothers ever teach you that it's rude to talk about someone as if they don't exist?" Rose asked as she stepped around the corner that had concealed her. "It was me," she feigned sheepishness as she rose her hand as if she was back in school, "that killed each and every one of the monsters you speak of, and if you'd like I could give you a play by play account of how I took each of them down." She smiled sweetly, the kind of smile that would have melted any man's heart.

"Well if it isn't the assassin _herself_," Isai stated, proving his point with way too much smugness for Rose's liking.

At this point words only served as a waste of precious time for Rose, especially when her arrival had had the desired effect on the situation. Four of the five strigoi all but had their jaws hanging on the ground from shock. Anyway, in these situations Rose was much more of an action kind of girl, living for the thrill of adrenalin pumping through her as if she was about to suck in her final breath.

Once they had regained their composure, the five strigoi looked at Rose as if their lunch had just been served on a silver platter. An uncontrollable shiver cursed through the brunettes body as their red ringed eyes penetrated her skin, seeing right through to the blood streaming through her plump veins.

As she stood there eyeing off the creatures in front of her, her muscles became jittery with anticipation, but she knew never to make the first move, she always waited for them to come to her. _If you make the first move Rosemarie, it is likely they will move last_, her guide had told her on numerous occasions, his tick Romanian accent licking at the words. And she knew better than not to listen to him. So she waited…and waited…until finally they engaged her.

The first strigoi was much too easy to take out. Rose couldn't tell if it was from a lack of experience, or whether he had seriously underestimated his opponent, but either way he went down in a record of three seconds after stepping towards her.

It usually wasn't a fair fight. Most of the creatures Rose came across underestimated what she could do, but to look at her one could surmise that she'd rather spend her time getting her hair and nails done…silly them. She was lethal, her arsenal of weapons were plenty, and she knew how to use each and every one of them in the most effective way.

The second strigoi stepped towards her, and while he wasn't _as_ bad as the first, he still went down quickly. He left his chest wide open, allowing the charmed dagger to slide right in with ease. One dumb and deadly mistake he'll never have a chance to learn from.

The final three strigoi were the ones who had been doing all the chit-chatting. Each of them looked similar to the next, sickeningly chalky white skin and horrid red rings around their once lively eyes. The only really noticeable difference between them was their hair. Isai had pitch black hair which was cut short. The one who stood next to him had dirty blond hair which hung in what could only be described as surfer curls. The last strigoi left ogling Rose with his nightmarish eyes had light brown hair, styled in such a way it looked like he'd just stepped out of the eighteen hundreds. Their clothes were all worn and in desperate need of a washing machine, but who was judging when they were all about to die anyway?

It was the blond strigoi that stepped forward next, though the old fashioned one flanked him closely. The dance began, but disappointingly only lasted a few minutes at the most. Rose had been expecting more than they had delivered, especially considering there was two, but she had to admit they were better than some she had the displeasure of fighting.

Finally, only Isai was left. He'd been watching the fights intently, a smile widening on his lips as Rose made each kill. He was seriously enjoying himself. It was as if he hadn't just watched his four 'friends' be killed in front of him. Though it really shouldn't have been surprising, he was strigoi after all. In other words, he was a soulless, heartless bastard who cared for none but himself and his power. Rose was looking forward to wiping the twisted smirk off his face.

"I must say," he started, "I knew you would be good, but…wow." He paused, lost in thought for a second. "Oh, I'll be so powerful when word spreads that I devoured you, the assassin!"

Rose didn't bother replying, she wasn't as vein as some would think, and she knew there was no way in hell he'd get close to taking her out. Truth was, Rose was better than good, but in her mind she was only doing a job she was born to do. She'd been reluctant at first, but put in that position, who wouldn't be? She'd been dragged away from the only life she'd ever known. She was taken away from her friends – while still mourning the death of one of them – and told she could never see them again. She was also ripped away from the love of her life – the man who she still believed was her soul mate – and told he would never exist to her again. So not only was she reluctant, she was also seriously pissed off. But her guide had brought her to see a reality she'd never really considered before, and in the end she only had one choice.

The part that hurt Rose the most though was the fact that everyone she'd loved and cared about had been led to believe she was dead. Even Lissa had felt the bond between them break once Rose had sworn herself over to the life she was now living. And boy did Rose miss the connection with the moroi who wasn't just her best friend, but also the sister she had always wanted. She hated not knowing whether Lissa was okay, but that was one of many things she tried never to think about.

The dance between Isai and Rose began, and from the outset it was clear he wasn't going to be nearly as easy as the others to defeat. But still, Rose held her ground. She watched every more he made, saving them to memory, ready to use them to her advantage whenever the time arose. Each time he struck out he ensured his chest remained closed or out of reach, and each time Rose moved in such a way as to limit the force of his violent attacks. They continued for what seemed like hours to Rose, each of them giving and receiving blows, each of them watch the other closely, waiting for an opening to present itself.

It was as Rose was readying herself for Isai's next move that she felt the fatigue starting to wash over her, which left her confused and took her focus away from the fight. She never got fatigued. Even with only an hour of sleep Rose was able to remain alert to everything around her.

Isai took Rose's loss of concentration as his opening, and before she could regain any focus he was behind her, his razor like fangs sinking deep into her neck. It was the wake-up call she needed. She grabbed his head, her hands like vices on a workman's bench. With a slight flick of her wrists he flew over her head, landing heavily on the pavement in front of her. Without hesitation Rose quickly slid her back-up stake out of her boot and drew its sharp point along his cheek. His agonising scream was like music to her ears.

"Guess you won't talk about me behind my back like a school girl again. Shame really, I'm sure you would have convinced someone of my existence," she said as she rested the stake's point against his throat. Her voice had slipped into the familiar tone it takes when her powers have been used. "Although, then again…probably not."

}-

The cool dawn breeze ruffled through Rose's long dark hair which now fell loose, the sun was slowly creeping closer to making its daily appearance. It had been a good night, five kills in the one location, though that was becoming more and more common. Strigoi had always been known for flying solo, Rose would only occasionally run into a group who had managed to set aside their…differences…and work together for the 'greater good'. However, in the previous week alone she had taken out three groups of strigoi who had formed some kind of alliance. Each group had at least four strigoi, and for the most part they were pretty good fighters.

As Rose stood in the alley waiting for the run to rise, she couldn't help but hear the voice in the back of her head telling her something was coming. It wasn't like the strigoi were just casually getting together for a few beers while they watched the game, and it was really disturbing to her.

She had never liked the whole 'wait around for the cremation to finish' part of her job, but it was necessary. The last thing she wanted or needed was for innocent humans to stumble upon the bodies, which looked more like their original forms than when she'd killed them. It also meant the alchemists didn't need to get involved. So she waited until the last of the ash was picked up by the cool spring breeze and carried off towards the always bustling city of Paris.

}-

Rose stumbled into her old studio apartment just twenty minutes after the final trace of strigoi had floated away. The night's fight had taken its toll on her, and she was more than thankful she hadn't used her powers during the fight – apart from when they had decided to save her arse – it would have only fatigued her more, and the outcome with Isai would likely have been very different.

Her clothes – which consisted of black tights and a body-hugging tank top – hadn't faired the best, but they were at least repairable or replaceable. Cuts and bruises littered her arms and legs, but the worst of the injuries was the gash on her neck from where the now obliterated strigoi – Isai – had tried to taste her blood. He of course died an excruciatingly painful death. She slowly slid off her clothes and stepped into the steaming hot shower. She took her time cleaning the dirt and blood from her skin and washing her hair twice. She waited until the water had started to turn cold before she got out. It was as she changed into a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie that Rose was alerted to her stomachs need for food.

Her apartment had recently been cleaned, thanks to Mary – Rose's personal cleaner who never complained no matter how much mess Rose left for her. After a long night Rose loved being able to go home and put her feet up without a pile of month old dirty clothes waiting eagerly for her. Unfortunately Mary only cleaned, she didn't do the grocery shopping or cooking – not that Rose hadn't asked her countless times before, and she was seriously considering approaching the subject again after seeing her dismal food supply. All she could find in the kitchen was half a loaf of bread that was growing its own green mould farm, a carton of sour milk and a couple of tasteless microwave dinners. After much debate – not – a microwave dinner won out.

As Rose ate her thoughts drifted back to the strigoi she had taken out a couple of hours before. Two of them had been weak, barely worth any effort to remember them. The blond and old fashioned strigoi had been better than the first, but still not very worthy opponents. Isai, however, was different. He had been stronger than the other four combined.

It wasn't his strength that had Rose worried so much though, it was the fact she'd become fatigued so quickly. It had never happened before, and she was left gripping at any answer that could have possibly explained it. She had even considered the possibility that Isai had used some kind of voodoo magic on her.

The part that played on her mind the most, however, was that she hadn't even considered using any of her powers before her strength came to her rescue. It was as if a guardian angel had been watching over her, aiding her when she needed it most. And while that was a lovely thought, it still didn't explain what had happened, and Rose didn't like that one bit.

She beyond dreaded having to tell her guide of the events that had taken place. She cringed merely at the thought of his reaction when she told him she might need a night off to recover some strength. And just as though her guide was reading her mind, her phone buzzed on the coffee table in front of her. It was time to face the music whether she liked it or not.

"Yes?" Rose breathed into the phone after hesitantly accepting the call. She could take down strigoi without a problem, but talking to her guide near terrified her.

"You know why I'm calling Rosemarie, I thought you would have learnt by now to answer the phone with a detailed account of what happened during the night," he said, his voice was gruff with impatience.

"Sorry, just a hard night," she explained meekly.

They were all hard nights in one way or another. Rose alone had to assess the situation at hand, decide whether she should use any of her powers, or if she could take down the threat using only her skill. Then when it came to the actual fight – usually in the case of there being two or more strigoi – she would have to reassess the situation over and over until the end of the fight. It might sound easy, and it's what guardians have to do while protecting their moroi, but there was more to it for Rose. She also had to keep her powers in check as they tried to constantly consume her throughout the fight.

And while they were all hard nights, the previous night had been the worst since she had completed her training. She was utterly exhausted, but it was more than just that, she felt as though she'd been using her magic non-stop for days on end. Something was off, she just couldn't figure out what it was.

"Care to explain what happened?" her guide asked in that knowing tone of his.

"There were five strigoi in the one location, I arrived to hear one claiming to know about me, saying the assassin was behind the recent attacks on strigoi. The first four were easy enough to take down, but during the final fight I suddenly became very fatigued. My powers came to my rescue, but not before he bit into my neck," she explained on auto-pilot, her voice was exempt from any emotion.

"I see," he mused, and as he paused briefly Rose readied herself for him to begin chastising her for her lack of stamina. "We all have bad days Rosemarie. How are you feeling now?"

Rose almost fell off the couch, and it took her a moment to regather her thoughts as his words sunk in. Her guide had never been one to let her weaknesses go that easily. Any other time he would have jumped on her case, and demanded it never – and he meant never! – happened again. But there he was, passing off her lack of control as a bad day, and actually asking how she was feeling? Something didn't fit in the equation for Rose, the person she was talking to wasn't the same guide who had relentlessly trained her for the past four years. He was being kind, almost fatherly – not that Rose was versed on how a father would react in that sort of situation.

"I feel weak, it's like I've been using magic for days," she explained, she didn't see much point in lying to him.

"I see, but you only used part of your power to subdue the fifth right?" he asked, confirming what he already knew.

"Yes…well it was more like the power used me. It kicked in before I had any say in the matter, and it was fierce. It was almost like being consumed by Lissa's darkness when I was bonded to her."

Just mentioning her name sent a wave of sadness through Rose. It brought forward too many memories, and she really didn't want to deal with them in that moment, so she pushed them away as always.

"Well, that's different," he mused once again.

Rose's guide had once told her she was the first to ever be gifted with so much power. The ones before her only had a quarter of the power she held, if they were lucky, and her guide had never been able to tell her why she was so different. She saw herself as a freak of nature more of the time, like she was some kind of experiment gone wrong. She was a strigoi killing machine who could wield magic, heal friendly targets, and move at a speed that most strigoi would have a hard time matching. Oh, and she could summon more strength that was imaginable.

The ones before her had been able to use magic, so that on its own wasn't anything special, but they had only been able to wield one type of magic. Rose could wield all four. It of course had its perks, like she could charm her own weapons for instance, but it also came with a downfall too. If she used too much magic she would be worn out for days.

There were also the physical changes that had occurred when Rose had decided to take on her calling. Her once slightly voluptuous figure had slimmed down, but at the same time her curves hadn't been lost entirely. And although her guide would never agree, she swore she was taller. Her hair had a beautiful shine to it, and her facial features were perfect. She was stunning, and when she entered a room it wasn't uncommon for men to stop and stare. She only used her looks to gain information though, which was unlike the Rose of four years before who craved the attention. Yes, Rose had changed a lot, but she had a job to do, and it was life or death, literally.

"I'll be around in thirty minutes," her guide said after a drawn out silence. "Make sure you've got decent coffee, there's some things we need to discuss."


	2. Chapter 2

CHANGE OF PLANS

_Decent coffee?_ Rose thought frantically as she stood in front of a floor to ceiling shelf filled with more types of coffee than she thought could ever be possible. _How the hell am I supposed to know what decent coffee is? I don't even drink the stuff_. So Rose did the only thing she thought could work. She grabbed at least ten different types of coffee and hoped one of them would be decent enough for her guide. At least he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't have coffee.

After grabbing a few extra supplies Rose ran home, she didn't exactly want her guide to arrive to an empty apartment, and it was highly likely he'd be early. In the time she'd known her guide, he'd never been late for anything, and she wouldn't have put it past him to say he'd arrive in thirty minutes and actually be twenty-nine minutes early. It seemed luck was on her side though, she returned home to find the place peacefully empty.

Exactly twenty-eight minutes after the call had ended Rose's guide entered her apartment unannounced. If it was anyone else waiting for him they would have swooned due to his looks. He was on the good side of thirty-five, and had a hair addiction that cost him at least a pot of gel a day making sure each blond spike was kept in place. His blue eyes were crystal clear, and his smile – on the odd occasion that he showed it – was heavenly. And no woman could ever forget his body if they happened to catch a glimpse of it, it was perfectly sculpted in such a way that no moroi had ever achieved before. This man was a pure hunk, but Rose never saw it.

"Coffee?" He asked as he walked towards the kitchen, his voice portrayed his need for it. "Did you get any?"

"Only about thirty different kinds," Rose over-exaggerated in a monotone as she placed the last of the doughnuts on the plate. "Hope that's enough for you."

"You really didn't have to go to that much trouble," he stated, barely containing his laughter.

Rose simply rolled her eyes as she placed the plate on the table. Her guide went about making his coffee – filling the small apartment with its aroma – as Rose sat nervously at the table, nibbling on a chocolate doughnut as a way of hiding her nervousness. She had no idea what her guide was there to 'discuss', but since he couldn't tell her over the phone as he usually did, she didn't count on it being anything good.

Finally he joined her at the table, his hands wrapped tightly around the coffee mug which he was staring into. Rose couldn't fathom the thought of him being nervous, he'd always been so resilient and well…forceful enough to keep her in line. But as she watched him sit there not making eye contact with her, her stomach dropped.

"So," Rose started, unable to handle the prolonged silence any longer, "why the house call?"

"How are you feeling now?" her guide asked, ignoring Rose's question completely.

"Still pretty weak," she replied honestly.

_Didn't help that I had to run out and get coffee_, she thought somewhat bitterly as silence fell again. It took every ounce of strength Rose had not to fidget. The longer it took for her guide to spit out whatever he'd come to say, the more anxious Rose became, and the more outrageous her thoughts turn out to be. He had always been open with her, he never lied or withheld information, and he had never seemed nervous around her. But just like a lot of things that had occurred in the previous eighteen hours, something seemed off.

"Would you just spit it out?" Rose asked impatiently, "Please Guide, you're driving me insane here."

"Please Rosemarie, I've asked you many times to please call me Costin." His accent was thick and luxurious as he once again avoided talking about 'it'.

The truth was, Rose had never felt right calling him by his first name. She had always settled for calling him 'Guide' mainly because that's how she saw him. He hadn't been the one that ripped her away from her life, but when she had woken up in that strange room he'd been there. Ever since that day Costin had worked constantly with Rose, gaining her trust and steering her in a direction that had made her strong, and in some ways wise too.

She always tried to stay on his good side, she had witnessed his temper only a few times, and it was unlike anything she'd seen or heard. He also had his own personal way of serving punishment, and the few days of her life she'd experienced those punishments were the worst of her life – it was no wonder she feared him. But Rose also knew he was doing it for her, he had once told her that any mistake could cost her her life.

"Okay, Costin, would you like to tell me why you're making a house call?" Rose asked, trying hard to keep her impatience in check.

"Things have changed," he said simply.

"And that could mean a whole lot of things," Rose stated. "If you're here to punish me for last night, can you please just get it over with?"

"From what you told me, there's nothing to punish. What happened last night was not your fault Rosemarie."

"Then what is it?" Rose demanded, her voice rising a little higher than she'd hoped.

"I have come here as a courtesy to you," he snapped. "I don't believe that warrants you speaking to me like that."

"Sorry," Rose apologised for the second time in just over an hour.

With a sigh Costin spoke again. "We're going home." He had secured a tone that leaked no emotion.

"We're going to Romania?" Rose asked, relieved and slightly excited by the prospect. "I think that's the only country in Europe I haven't been yet."

And she was right. Rose had been to every other European country, even if she was just driving through to reach another destination. She was looking forward to seeing Romania. Since she had accepted her new life she had travelled a lot, she loved seeing new places and comparing them to the others she had been. She also hoped she would get to meet some of Costin's family, she'd always been curious about them, but that curiosity mainly stemmed from the fact he never spoke of them. But none of that was meant to be.

"Not my home Rosemarie," he said. "You're home…the royal court."

Rose burst out laughing as his words hit her. He couldn't possibly have been serious. He had gone to great lengths to keep her away from the entire United States of America, and now he was saying – quite casually – that they were going back there. Rose laughed so hard that her eyes began to water and her sides started to hurt, but only because she couldn't believe Costin could be _that_ horrible to her.

"You…can't…be…serious," Rose managed to say between fits of laughter.

"Things have changed Rosemarie, you are needed back at court, and well…where you go, I go," he replied with complete seriousness.

Rose's laughter stopped as quickly as it had started. Realisation had hit her hard, and instead of laughing, all she wanted to do was run away and hide. Rose tried forcing herself to believe that it was all some horrible nightmare, and that she'd soon wake up and it would all be blissfully untrue. Instead, her thoughts continued being pulled in every direction, her heart still pounded heavily in her chest, and her stomach carried on flipping rapidly. Costin could see she wasn't taking the news well at all.

"I know how hard this must be for you, but…" he started, but Rose cut him off.

"No you don't Costin," she said sadly. "You wouldn't have the slightest clue how hard this is."

"There is no choice," he said softly. "I'm sorry, but you've been summoned."

"Summoned? By who?" Rose demanded. "No one is supposed to know I exist."

"Her Majesty the Queen has summoned you. It seems she has been reading through old journals and has found reference to the watches before you." He paused for a moment, allowing Rose to digest the information. "I don't know how, but she came to know you had become the most recent watcher, and that I am your 'Guide', as you put it."

"How am I supposed to go back there Costin? The people I love believe I'm dead."

"You are strong Rosemarie, I know you can face this," he said trying to comfort the girl in front of him, he had never seen her so vulnerable before.

"We'll see."

~:~:~:~:~

Twenty-four hours was all Rose had to pack and prepare herself before she needed to board the plane. Destination: hell on earth. She always travelled light so there wasn't much to pack, the majority of her time left in Paris needed to be spent on the preparation side of things. And in all reality, twenty-four hours wasn't nearly enough time to prepare for the whole return from the dead thing. Perhaps if she had been given the next fifty years of her life, she might have been close to ready.

Costin had left with strict instructions for Rose to stay inside the apartment until the car arrived the following morning, and that only made things worse for her. She wanted to run, she wanted to take her bag and leave, but Costin had ensured to lace his instructions with enough compulsion to prevent her doing so. Her apartment was small as it was, but with her stress and anxiety levels it seemed like no bigger than a shoebox to her. And as she paced the small area those levels only rose.

_How can he think I can do this?_ she thought bitterly on the thousandth lap of her apartment. _He's asking for something that's completely impossible_. She threw her hands up in surrender as she collapsed onto the couch.

The whole point of them drugging her and taking her away in the middle of the moroi night was so that everyone would believe she'd been kidnapped and killed. They had even gone to the extent of leaving traces of her blood to seal the deal. And the whole point of all of that was so no one knew she existed as the watcher. No one could really blame Rose for feeling that all the pain her friends had felt was for nothing.

She hoped more than anything that she could keep from seeing them, essentially because she didn't want to cause them any more heart ache than they had already felt when she disappeared without a trace. She also didn't want them to be angry at her, not that she would hold it against them if they were. Their anger would be directed at her when she really didn't have much say in what had happened, but she could never fully explain that to them, not when she had difficulty understanding a lot of it herself.

So Rose decided it would be best to avoid them altogether. It would be easy right? She would keep her head down, do whatever the Queen needed her to do, and leave with a firm promise to never return.

But she ran into a slight problem. How could she stay away from Dimitri when she knew how close he was? There was so much she wanted to know, so much she needed to say to him, and it might have been the only opportunity she would get. Some might say they only had a whirl wind romance, the kind you would read about in a soppy romance novel, but for Rose it was so much more. She had often questioned whether the intensity of the feelings expressed were just dreamt up in the mind of the teenage girl she was at the time. She had never been able to answer that for sure, but she knew deep in her heart that she still loved him, with every fibre of her being. She could never forget the couple of hours they had spent alone in the cabin. He'd been trying to bring her out of darkness that had swallowed her, but it had ended in so much more.

Unfortunately that was the night Rose was to disappear without a trace. She never knew if what they had shared had meant as much to Dimitri as it did to her, Nor did she ever get the chance to tell him just how thankful she was for having him in her life. But just like everything else from Rose's past, she had pushed it so far back in her mind, that way she never had to think about it.

But as she started to weep on the couch, all those memories, thoughts and feelings were crashing down on her.

Rose pulled her knees up to her chest and sobbed quietly as she thought about the last time she had seen her best friend, Lissa, the last time she sparred with Eddie, and the last time she had used her wit to out-comment Christian. And the tears only fell harder as Dimitri came to the forefront of her thoughts.

_If only I had stayed with him_, she thought sadly, _maybe then they wouldn't have taken me away_. The 'what ifs' continued to swirl around inside her head as she recalled the last moments of the last night of her old life. She had wanted to wait for him to wake up before she left the cabin, but the fear of being found curled up in the arms of her mentor pushed her to sneak back to her room. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Her last day in Paris was the first time in three and a half years that Rose cried herself to sleep. It was the first time in almost just as long that she dreamt of the people she had lost. The twisting mist of dreams all but suffocated her as she was forced to relive the best and worst memories of her life, including the agony she had endured after realising those who mattered to her were gone for good.

Little did Rose know, the worst of the pain was yet to come.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm sorry for any spelling/typing/grammar errors, I tried to get this chapter out as quickly as possible. I'd like to apologise in advance for being last with new chapters, I'm currently working full time as well as studying full time, so I don't have much time for writing at the moment, but I will try not to leave it too long between posts. Also remember, I don't own the character or story line you are familiar with, only my story line. Enjoy

UNINVITED

Rose's feet dragged heavily down the stairs, every muscle in her body screamed at her to turn and run the other way. It was like she had entered into some sort of different dimension, at least that was the best way she could describe the surrealness of the situation. She walked as though she was taking her final walk down the corridor towards the execution room, all that was missing was the guard calling out 'dead woman walking' as other prisoners gawked at her from their cells.

For months after she was first taken, Rose had longed to return to the life she had been stolen from, to escape her 'captors. But eventually she'd become aware that was never going to happen. And yet, now she was being forced to return, and she wasn't even close to being happy about it. She was being escorted by Costin, and being pushed to return to the one place that would hold those she loved.

"Rosemarie, promptness would be of great use now," Costin called from the bottom of the stairs, "the plane has already landed and is waiting on us right now."

_Let it wait_, Rose thought solemnly as she neared the end of the stairs. To say she wasn't ready would have been a major understatement, and her nightmare filled sleep hadn't helped the situation either. She had tossed and turned on the couch all night, once loved memories had turned against her, and there was no escape from their onslaught. Her body was left sore and strained from the lack of sleep and the positions it had taken during the night. The only moment of peace granted to the brunette were the few seconds upon waking, in those few seconds she had allowed herself to believe it had all just been a dream. That peace was shattered when she realised someone was banging on her door.

Rose slid into the shiny black limousine with Costin close on her heels. The flashy ride stood out like a sore thumb in the run-down, heavily littered neighbourhood she was leaving behind. Costin had never been able to understand why Rose would want to live in such 'squalor', especially when she had more than enough money to live in comfort, but he had given up on trying to convince her to live somewhere 'safer'. Rose believed her choice of residence was why Costin rarely visited her, and she was determined to find somewhere he would never visit next time.

Rose had inherited a small fortune once her transition had been completed – it was the kind of small fortune that would have left many royal moroi feeling envious of her. But she wanted nothing to do with the money that had come from the previous Watcher, agreeing only to use the bare minimum she needed to live. She had accepted her role as being the Watcher, but she had done so with a heavy heart, and no amount of money could ever replace what she had lost in the process.

The car pulled away from the curb with a jolt, quickly escaping the litter filled streets. The young Watcher stared out the heavily tinted windows as they flashed passed busy cafes and malls, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to live free of the expectations she had always had weighing on her shoulders. She pictured it being like the two years she had been on the run with Vasilisa, except there being no need to constantly look over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her. It was a life Rose could only ever dream about.

All too soon the buildings began to fade into the green pastures of fields as they left Paris behind. Rose had hoped they would go to a larger airport where there might have been a hope of escaping into a crowd, but luck was definitely not on her side. Every now and then they would pass a farm house, but soon there was nothing but green fields adorned with grape vines leading to snow caped mountains in the distance. They were getting close to their first destination.

The limo turned off the road and slowly navigated down a bumpy dirt track. Only a few minutes later Rose saw the white jet come into focus, and that's when the dread really set in. She was going to be stuck in a small aircraft, high above the ocean, for hours with no escape. The limo started feeling a lot smaller than it was in that moment, claustrophobia threatening to pull her into a full blown panic attack at any moment. That feeling only got worse as they drove closer to the plane, and to Rose's horror a number of people were gathered around the short set of stairs.

"You said only the Queen knew about me," Rose said accusingly. "Why the hell are all those people here?

Costin only replied with a confused look. He had been told by the Queen herself that they would travel alone to court and a car would be left at the airstrip for their use one they had arrived. But there, standing in a group by the plane stairs he saw at least fifteen guardians – all looking professional in their perfectly tailored suits – awaiting their arrival.

"Stay in the car when we stop," Costin said, a hint of anger was present in his voice. "I'll find out what's going on."

It didn't take any compulsion for Rose to stay in the car, there was no chance she was getting out with the guardians being there. As Costin exited the car she grabbed one of her bag and rummaged through it. She pulled out a dark hoodie and a pair of heavily tinted sunglasses. It was the best she could do with no warning to disguise herself. She tucked her long hair into the hoodie as best she could and pulled the hood hard over her head before sliding on the sunglasses and stuffing her iPod into the hoodie's pocket. _Is this what it's like for those celebrities? _she thought in a moment of absent mindedness.

"What are you all doing here?" Rose over heard Costin say, his anger caused his accent to shadow some of the words.

"We were order to come and escort you and the girl back," a guardian replied.

_Girl_, Rose scoffed internally. It had been a long time since the Queen had last seen Rose, though Rose didn't seem eager to forgive the woman's lack of acknowledgement for the years that had passed.

"I was told by the Queen herself we would travel alone, as per our requirements," Costin spoke, his voice held the authority Rose knew all too well. "I wish to speak with her immediately."

"She would have already retired to her quarters."

The voice made Rose freeze, her blood turned to ice within her veins. Her worst nightmare had formed into a frightening reality as she sat on the hard leather seat, powerless to do anything about it. Of all the guardians that could have been sent to collect Rose and Costin, why did it have to be him? He was supposed to protect the last of the Dragomir family, which Rose saw as a much more important job than flying half way around the world to pick them up. And what was the Queen playing at? She had given her word to Costin, they would travel alone, no one would see them.

"There has been a lot of attacks recently," a third guardian said, "the Queens wished to know you and the girl made it safety to court with no interruptions."

"The sun is shining, and we will be landing on court grounds, which I assume is still protected by the wards?" Costin said, accusations ripe within his tone.

"It's a known fact humans work alongside strigoi, sir," Dimitri said, his voice void of any emotion.

"We are more than capable of defending ourselves, and her Majesty would have known that," Costin muttered," do you have any idea who it is you will be travelling with?"

Rose's breath caught in her throat as she nervously waited for a reply. If she had been a religious person she would have prayed they had no idea who she was or what she could do. She had resolved that she wasn't going to let anyone she knew from her past life see her, however, that was seeming to be a lot harder than she had originally thought.

"The Queen only said that the girl is special," Dimitri replied, the tone of his voice foreign even to Rose.

A few seconds later Costin slid back into the limo, his face distorted with anger. He looked at Rose, his eyes softened, but only slightly.

"There is no getting out of travelling with them," he said. "We must make the best of an awful situation, and try to keep you shielded from them."

"He's here," Rose managed to croak out.

"Who's here?"

"Dimitri," she replied, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to hide her emotions.

Costin had no reply, he simply looked at her sadly before gathering her bags and stepping out of the car again. Rose pulled her hood down further, took a deep breath and joined him next to the car, ensuring she kept her head down at all times. It wasn't something she was used to, she always held her head high when faced with situations that made her feel like hiding. In her line of work, showing any weakness would end up with her dead.

They walked slowly to the plane with Costin keeping a somewhat comforting hand on the small of Rose's back. Breathing through her mouth seemed like the best idea to Rose, she knew she would cease being able to function if she even caught the slightest hint of Dimitri's cologne. Her eyes remained on the ground as they walked, feet weren't going to identify their owner, which helped her stay somewhat sane.

Once safely inside the plane Rose headed straight for the back, ready to hide low in the seat and escape to the bathroom if necessary. She couldn't believe her foul luck. It was bad enough that she had to go back at all, but being forced to be on a plane with the man who she loved so desperately was going to be more than tortuous for her.

"Is there anything I can do?" Costin asked, his voice giving away his discomfort of the situation.

"Keep them all away from me," Rose replied quietly. "Especially him."

"I'll try my best."

Costin left Rose slouched in her seat at the far corner of the plane and headed back to the front. And that only left Rose with a world of torment in her head.

She tried in vain to pull her hood down further, and when that didn't work she settled for turning her entire body towards with portal sized window. Her mind was a mine field of thoughts, a new one would explode into focus as another was passing. To try and counteract the non-stop noise within her head she pushed her earphones in as deep as possible, and turned her iPod's volume up as far as it would go. The first song to play was 'Uninvited' by Alanis Morissett, and while it was quite fitting for the situation at hand, the song didn't provide the relief Rose was looking for, if anything it only made her thoughts scream louder. She flicked through song after song until she found one that could work as a buffer for her thoughts.

The plane was serviced by one hostess, who constantly tried to gain Rose's attention. She only wanted to make sure the girl was okay and whether she might need anything, but Rose was too lost in the music that filled her mind. Truthfully, Rose probably wouldn't have acknowledged the young moroi woman anyway, she was set on remaining quiet and uninterrupted for the entire flight. Eventually, however, a soft hand on her shoulder made her jump, tearing her away from the peaceful trance she'd been lost in. It was only then that she realised that they had already taken off.

"Rosemarie, you need to eat and drink something," Costin said close to her ear once she had removed one of the earphones.

"I'm not hungry or thirsty," she replied, not moving from her huddled position.

"It was not a suggestion Rosemarie," Costin said, his voice a little harsher than before. "You will eat and drink something. You're having enough issues with weakness as it is."

Rose turned slight towards Costin after his last words had slapped her across the face, she really didn't need reminding about her last fight against the five strigoi. The moroi man was holding out a chocolate coated doughnut and a bottle of water. He had picked them up earlier in the morning, before he had collected Rosemarie, he knew doughnuts were the best way of convincing the stubborn woman to eat. Rose hesitantly accepted the doughnut and water, ensuring Costin saw her best 'I'm not happy' look in the process.

"Everyone else is asleep now," Costin said softly. "After you eat, you should try to get some sleep too."

But sleep was the last thing Rose wanted to do. After such a restless night, she definitely needed more sleep, but sleeping would have left her vulnerable. The plane held too many people Rose didn't know, and one person who could never know her true identity. So Rose replaced her earphone and continued the listening to her music at maximum volume.

Thankfully for Rose, the guardians had decided to sit at the front of the plane, leaving her alone in the back corner. She didn't want anyone near her, at that moment, she hoped even Costin would keep his distance. Breaking point was rapidly approaching Rose again, and she refused to show any weakness in front of anyone on that plane, she rarely showed that kind of weakness to herself.

Inside Rose's heart another battle was erupting. Her deep and overwhelming need to be closer to Dimitri was pulling at every heart string that kept the broken organ beating. Of course her logic was fast to have its say on the matter, reminding her of the pledge she'd made to stay away from those of her past, after all she was doing it for them more than herself. But that didn't make her heart stop yearning for just one look, one smile, one touch, one kiss.

A few hours had passed by, and Rose was thankful for the countless tunes available on her iPod. There had been no more interruptions, and she was beginning to feel more at ease on the plane, she had relaxed further into her seat, but her body still faced towards the window. Her head was slowly moving to the music when it hit her. An attack which she could have easily deemed worse than any strigoi. The sweet scent filled her senses, as if she was an addict that had been sober for years.

~:~:~:~:~

Rose had frozen in place, a move Dimitri noticed instantly. He stood in the aisle, only a couple of feet away from her, and gazed over the slim form of the girl who he'd been told was special, but whom he knew nothing else about. And for a reason he couldn't explain, he was drawn to her. That had only ever happened to him once, and he chastised himself for even considering any remote possibility of the girl being his dear Roza.

He had blamed himself ever since Rose had disappeared, he hadn't been able to protect her from whatever had caused her harm. The investigation into the dhampir's disappearance had been long and thorough. Every student, teacher and guardian at the academy had been questioned as to the details of the last time they had seen her. He of course hadn't been able to tell the truth, but he was the last one who had seen her alive. That magical night in the cabin which now only caused him pain and heartache was the last time she had every been seen.

Torment caused Dimitri's heart to squeeze hard, a reminder of the pain left by her absence in his life. And no matter how much he might have tried to move on, he just couldn't. Confusion set in as he stared hopelessly at the still form in the seat, she hadn't moved since he'd approached. He looked at every detail of her form that he could see, she was slim, but he could only tell that because of the skinny jeans that wrapped tightly around her legs, the rest of her was hidden beneath a hoodie that he could have worn comfortably.

But her slimness was more than enough to convince Dimitri that it could not be his Roza. He remembered her body as if he'd only seen it seconds before. She had curves, and the girl in front of him looked more like a moroi, except for the height. But if it wasn't his Roza – and he was convinced it wasn't her – then what was it that was drawing him to her?

_The mystery_, Dimitri answered his own unasked question. The mystery of being told the person he was required to leave his charge for was special, with no other details being released. He assured himself that it was okay to be curious, since he pretty much had the second highest honour for the charge he was entrusted to protect. Behind the Queen herself, Princess Dragomir was the highest profile moroi on the 'to-kill' list for strigoi.

But Dimitri needed to know more about the mysterious girl. And he wouldn't stop until he knew everything there was to know.


	4. Chapter 4

BACK ON TRACK

Dread. That feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when something just isn't right. Rose had had that feeling since Costin had broken the god awful news to her. And well over a day later it hadn't eased one bit. The plane had touched down on the airstrip at the royal court without any major dramas, to the majority of the travellers anyway. Rose had to endure at least fifteen minutes in a much too close proximity to Dimitri, as he stood there staring at her. It had taken every fibre of the brunettes being to stay in the exact position she was in, it helped, of course, that she was frozen in place just by his choice of cologne. But her heart had tried everything to have her leap into his warm, safe arms.

A car had been waiting for Costin and Rose when they arrived at court, and it was fully equipped with a driver. Rose was sure even a blind fish would have known just how pissed off Costin was, but with the guardians showing up to escort the pair back, why should the Queen have kept any of their wishes? After a ten minute trip of Costin constantly muttering under his breath, Rose was more than relieved when they arrived at their accommodation, and even more so when she found out she would have a suite to herself.

Costin carried their bags to the elevator with Rose trailing behind, she couldn't help but take in the décor of the lobby. At the academy she had been in the novice dorms, which consisted of a room with a single bed and a desk, and her living conditions since then had been pretty shocking. But the lobby of the accommodation building they had been dropped off at was adorned with expensive looking paintings, plush carpet, sofa's that looked like they only belonged in a decorating magazine, and gorgeous flowering plants. And while Rose took in her surroundings, a feeling of not belonging set in hard.

They reached the top floor and Costin walked Rose to her door. The hallway looked like it had been taken out of the same magazine as the sofa's downstairs, but it was nothing compared to the room Rose was going to enter. She stepped into the lounge area of the mini apartment, it was fitted with white leather couches, the largest flat screen TV Rose had ever seen, and again was adorned with paintings and plants. Plush beige carpet covered the floor, and the walls were painted in a soft forest green. Upon seeing the room, Rose started to reconsider the accommodation she had always chosen to live in, she knew just how relaxed she might be coming home to something like the room before her instead of gritty streets and a run-down apartment.

Off the lounge area there was a small kitchen with all the fittings needed to make cooking easy, and the fridge and pantry were stocked with an array of food. The bedroom was just as big as the lounge area. The bed alone was big enough to sleep at least four people comfortably, a chair was angled in the corner of the room, created the perfect place to read – not that Rose was big on reading. The bed-side lamps provided the only light in the room, but it was in no way too dark or uncomfortable, it was perfect. Off the bedroom was an ensuite bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. Rose might have resented being back at court, but at least she was going to be comfortable.

"Where is your room?" Rose asked Costin as he turned towards the door.

"Two floors down," he replied, distaste still filled his voice, though Rose wasn't sure if it was still part of his anger towards the Queen or at the position of his room compared to hers.

Rose just nodded her acknowledgement as he turned to leave her to settle in. Rose wandered around the room aimlessly, she opened the fridge, pantry, the wardrobe in the bedroom and admired the bathroom. The Watcher felt much too restless to even consider sleeping, she had no interest in turning on the TV, and that didn't leave much else to do. It was late in the moroi night, the sun was shining and birds were singing, and Rose decided to take the chance of exploring a bit of the royal court.

Rose quickly changed into some fresh jeans and another hoodie, unfortunately she hadn't come equipped with wigs, or anything else that would be useful to disguise her in any way. She had considered getting a dye for her hair for a brief moment, but she couldn't bear to be that drastic about it and ruin her hair in the process.

Rose stepped out the main door of the building and was greeted by a fresh spring breeze. She sucked in a long breath, enjoying the sensation of the clean air inside her lungs. It's one thing she had missed about her home land, though living in the areas she had she shouldn't have been too surprised the air hadn't been very clean. She stood on the doorstep of the building for a while, enjoying the sunshine on her skin, and the air that wrapped comfortably around her.

The streets were relatively quiet, as she wandered around she had only passed a few guardians. She had kept her head down and kept walking, she didn't want any unwelcome attention from anyone. She walked past a few shops and cafes, all locked up for the night, and as they faded from view she became aware that she was surrounded by joined houses and unit buildings. The residential area she had found herself in was the lower end of the moroi accommodation, it was noticeable in how the area was kept. But that didn't worry Rose in the slightest as she passed by the houses, all of them with heavy curtains drawn for the night.

It was completely by chance that Rose stumbled across the pub. It was the only place she had seen with door still open at the late hour. She stopped, considering for the briefest of moments whether one drink could possibly hurt any. She hoped they had something strong enough to numb the feelings that continued to swirl inside of her. Even if the numbness was only temporary.

During her time in a number of European countries Rose had developed a taste and resistance of sorts to the hard liquor they served. While she didn't have a drinking problem, Rose had used a drink or two to forget her problems for an hour or so. So without a second though Rose entered to dimly lit pub and moved between the tables to the bar.

"Double of the strongest you have," Rose said as she sat on a stool.

The bar tender slid a shot glass filled with a clear liquid towards Rose without a word and continued wiping down the bar. She stared into the glass in her hand, willing it to provide the release she wanted. Having Dimitri so close had stirred up emotions she had tried to bury, and for a long time she had succeeded. She closed her eyes and took the double shot in one go.

Two doubles later Rose was no longer alone in the bar. She heard the door open and heard at least two people stumble inside. Laughter filled the small space as one of the highly intoxicated pair stumbled a little too far and fell to the hard wood floor. Rose pulled her hood over her head and fanned her hair out to cover the rest of her face, she hoped they would just pass by her so she could leave.

"Get kicked out as usual Ivashkov?" the bar tender called.

Rose couldn't believe just how rotten her luck had become. First Dimitri, and now Adrian, all in the one day.

"They closed on me," Adrian replied with a slur.

"The usual I'm guessing," the bar man said as he started to pour two shots.

"Always looking after me Nick," Adrian slurred as he stumbled onto a stool just one down from Rose.

Rose sat as still as she could manage as another double was laid in front of her. Her mind was running wild with exit strategies, but there was only one door leading outside as far as Rose knew. And that door now had Adrian as barrier. Rose cringed internally at the thought of gaining his attention in any way, she wasn't entirely convinced that his past womanising ways had been reformed, especially given that he was obviously drunk.

She downed the double and pushed the shot glass away as she ignored the drunken pairs conversation the best she could. She thought back to the first time she had met the womanising royal that had instantly taken a liking to the then dhampir. The trip to the ski lodge held a mix of good and bad memories for Rose, with the worst being the loss of her friend Mason. She tried in vain over the years to not think about red haired, blue eyed boy who she had led on for a brief time as she had tried to discount her feelings for Dimitri. When she thought about him her heart filled with guilt and regret.

Her eyes burned with the threat of tears as Rose saw the last moments of Mason's life, and she knew she had to escape before anyone could witness a single tear. She pulled some cash out of her pocket and left it on the bar as she turned away. But just as she was passing Adrian he turned to her, sucking in a deep breath as he caught a glimpse of soft face. Rose quickened her pace, breaking into a run as soon as her feet hit the path outside.

She ran the entire way back to her room. She didn't know whether Adrian had recognised her in some way, or if he was just reacting as he would to any woman, but there was no way she was going back to find out.

Once back in the safe confines of her room Rose kick off her shoes and crawled to the middle of the oversized bed. Curled into the foetal position Rose could no longer hold back the tears that had been held at bay. Mason's face filled her mind, his smile brightening his face as he looked into the distance. She wished she could have told him that she was sorry, she had never wanted to break his heart, she hadn't meant to get him killed. But she knew he would never hear those words.

Eventually Rose drifted off to sleep, her eyes still damp from the tears she had shed. A vision filled her mind, a place and time she remembered all too well.

~:~:~:~:~

_Rose's eyes opened slowly as the drugs she'd been injected with started to wear off. Although her vision was still slightly blurred, she knew she wasn't where she had fallen asleep the night before, she knew her dorm room like the back of her hand. The room was much larger, the bed a lot more comfortable and the pillows felt like heaven under her aching head. _

_She closed her eyes again, longing to find the dream that had just been stripped away from her. She had been laying comfortably and safe in Dimitri's arms, and the sooner she got back there the better. But instead of finding that place she heard the door open and heavy footsteps echoed through the room._

"_Costin, how is she?" a male voice asked._

"_Still asleep, how much did you give her? It's been almost two days now," another voice replied, his accent thick and deep._

"_She should wake soon," the first voice stated. "Our job is done and we will be leaving, I am sure you're more than capable of taking it from here."_

"_I will be fine." he sighed._

_Only one set of feet left the room, closing the door behind them. Rose tried in vain the keep her breathing steady as she realised she was no longer at the academy, her drowsiness had obviously come from being slipped some kind of drug. She tried to will her body to relax, knowing whoever was still in the room would notice any change, especially if her entire body became rigid, but it just wouldn't play the game for her._

"_I know you are awake Rosemarie," the accented voice said close to her ear. "You have no reason to fear me, I am not here to harm you in any way."_

"_What do you want from me then?" Rose accused without turning to face the man._

"_You will know that in time dhampir," he replied. "But for now would you like something to eat or drink?"_

_Rose became aware of the dryness of her mouth, it was like she hadn't had a drink in months. And her stomach felt entirely empty. But she had already been drugged once, there was no way in hell she was going to risk that happening again. She needed to find a way out of wherever she was being held, that was the only way she could get back to the ones she loved._

_Rose rolled onto her back and sat up slowly, unknotting muscles as she went. The view from the window told her she was at least three stories off the ground, which didn't sit well from her. She had scaled the dormitories many times at the academy, but this building was unknown to her. She had no knowledge of the best places to put her feet and hands, and from what she could see there was no trees which could aid her._

_Then the conversation hit her, she had been out for almost two days. Two days was more than enough time to travel anywhere in the world, even with an unconscious dhampir. She took another look out the window, the fields, trees and barn looked like any she had seen in her travels around America, but something told her she was far, far from home._

"_Why am I here?" Rose questioned as she looked at the moroi man sitting beside the bed._

"_I will answer your questions in time Rosemarie, but for now you need to know you can trust me, I am not going to hurt you," he replied._

"_I have to use a bathroom," Rose said, not believing a word he said._

_The man led her to a door across the room and opened it for her. She entered the opulent room and closed the door behind her before flicking the lock across. She turned the tap on and went straight for the window. She used the little strength she possessed and heaved the window open to find the flattest wall surface she had ever seen. With a sigh she sat on the edge of the bath and considered a new plan. One way or another she was getting out and away from her captors._

_She returned to the bedroom and positioned herself on the bed as far away from the moroi man as she could – without falling off. It was against everything she had been taught to harm a moroi, and even though the moroi in question was holding her captive, he wasn't doing anything overtly threatening to her, so she couldn't justify attacking him._

"_Who are you?" she demanded._

"_My name is Costin, I am Romanian, and I am here to teach you of your journey." he replied._

"_And by 'teach you of your journey', you really mean you work within the international kidnapping ring and will be expecting some huge ransom to be paid," Rose said, her voice laced with anger and sarcasm. "Hate to break it to you buddy, but my mum is a poor, overworked guardian, who probably won't notice that I'm missing, so no ransom for you."_

"_I am not looking for any money Rosemarie," Costin said softly. "I know this is hard for you, and it may be hard for quite some time yet, but I only want what is best for you."_

Rose woke suddenly, severing the dream. Though it wasn't the dream that had woken her, her phone was vibrating violently in her pocket. She didn't bother looking at the screen before answering the call, there was only one person who had the number anyway. After a brief conversation with Costin, Rose pulled herself off the bed and took a shower. The water felt like its own kind of magic as it slid down her body, unknotting her stressed muscles. She dressed in her normal Watcher attire, black tights and a tight black tank top. Costin had told her she needed to look professional, and she didn't get any more professional than when she was hunting strigoi.

It was time Rose pulled herself together. She was tired of being weak, and running only made her feel worse. It was not how Rosemarie Hathaway had ever been, and she knew she couldn't continue on that track. Yes she needed to stay away from anyone who might know her, but that didn't mean she had to lock herself away in her room. She and Costin had to meet with the Queen, she would finally hear why she had been dragged back, and after that she planned on being away from court during the moroi days, doing what she did best. Destroying any strigoi within a hundred mile radius of court.


	5. Chapter 5

WHAT SHE WANTS

The Queen sat behind a large hard wood desk, shuffling through a large pile of paperwork as Rose and Costin entered the room. The desk looked monstrous against her small frame, and the darkness of the wood caused her to look almost ghostly against it. The pair slowly walked towards the desk, waiting for her to acknowledge their arrival, however, that didn't happen until they were standing right in front of her.

"Sit," the Queen ordered, motioning to the two chairs on the opposite side of the desk. "I won't be a moment." Her voice was cold and distant.

Rose remained standing as Costin sat, motioning for her to join him. She shook her head slightly, she refused to sit while working. After all, Rose classed the meeting as work, they were going to be discussing what Rose would be assisting with during her stay at court, and she definitely wouldn't have sought to meet with the Queen socially.

"There's no need to stand, Rosemarie," the Queen said as she glanced up from the paperwork.

"I'm fine thank you," she said before quickly adding, "Your Majesty."

"Oh, suit yourself then," the Queen muttered, followed by something that sounded a lot like, _as you've always done before_.

Rose bit down on her tongue to prevent a string of profanities from escaping her lips after the Queen's undeserved muttered comment towards her. She had never understood why the woman disliked her so much, she had never done anything to deserve such treatment from her. Well, she had, in the Queen's eyes, kidnapped the last surviving Dragomir for two years. Still she didn't feel the Queen should have hated her that much.

"Let's get started then," the Queen said with a sigh as she placed the stack of papers to the side.

Rose shifted her feet slightly as the Queen moved more paper around on her desk in search for something. A few moments later she produced an ancient looking book, the pages were off colour and worn from the many, many years it had seen. Rose noticed a mark on the front, and recognised it instantly. The mark was in the shape of an eye enclosed in a triangle, and it perfectly matched a tattoo she wore on her right shoulder. It was the mark of the Watcher.

"Where did you find that?" Costin asked, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and fear.

Fear because no one was supposed to know of the Watcher's existence. Excitement, because he had never seen anything like that book before. The book also intrigued Rose, and she couldn't help but wonder who had written on the pages, and what they had written. But she also wanted to know how such a book could end up in the hands of the Queen.

"It was in the bottom of a box of book delivered to me," she said as she smoothed her hand over the cover.

Rose couldn't take her eyes off the book, she didn't want to allow such a find out of her sight. The urge to protect the history of what she'd become was almost overpowering, but she fought hard to remain composed.

"I am not sure who the sender was," she Queen stated after a long pause. "But as I started reading it, I knew it was something that held immense knowledge. There was a letter just under the cover, I don't know if the sender wrote it or someone else, but it told that the book would be of reference to upcoming events that could change our world forever. It stated the only way the moroi…and dhampir's… would survive was to find the current Watcher."

"And here I am," Rose stated dryly.

"Yes, yes," the Queen said rather dismissively. "It took a lot of effort to locate any information, but in the end I got what was needed."

"And how exactly did you do that?" Costin asked, it was exactly what Rose wanted to know as well.

"That isn't important," the Queen said, "you're here and we need to get to work on how to stop the strigoi invasion."

"The strigoi are planning to invade the royal court?" Rose asked incredulously. "Where did you get this information?"

"After I read this journal I sent a group of guardians to a location known to have a number of strigoi, while they eliminated the strigoi, they were lucky enough to locate a couple of humans who had been on cohorts with the strigoi," she said as she stared out the window across the room. "They used necessary force to acquire the information from the humans."

"And by _necessary force_, you mean the guardians tortured the humans within an inch of their lives?" Rose asked.

The Queen simply shrugged in reply to Rose's question, and Rose couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine. What had happened to those humans was cold and uncalled for in her opinion. There would have been other ways to gain the information.

Rose had lived among humans for many years, and she had come to know just how far a human would go to protect a secret. She also knew just how far some humans would go to get in good with strigoi, the promise of a soulless life seemed to appeal to them for a reason unclear to her. And while these humans would go to great lengths to hide whatever they knew, Rose had no doubt that they also had limitations on just how much they could take before blurting out the truth. _If only the stubborn moroi population didn't frown on compulsion so much_, Rose thought, _would have saved a lot of effort_.

"And what exactly do you propose I do?" Rose asked, the attitude she had lost long ago was beginning to creep back into her.

"Stop it of course," the Queen replied as if it was the most obvious answer.

"And suppose I don't want to help?"

"Rosemarie!" Costin chastised. "Of course we will do anything we can to aid you in the mission."

Rose rolled her eyes. She could tell Costin was smitten at the chance of having an audience with the Queen. Rose on the other hand couldn't wait for it to be over with. She remembered all too well the last time she was called to meet with Tatiana, it's not like she could exactly forget being accused of trying to get the Queens nephew into bed for his money. Especially when the Queen had it completely wrong.

"I'll stay, on one condition," Rose said, her voice was back in a more reasonable tone.

"And what would that be?" the Queen asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"No one can know I'm here, especially those from my past."

"Well then you better get to work," the Queen stated, continuing after seeing Rose's questioning look. "The annual Royal Masquerade Ball will be held in three weeks, and if you are both still here you will be required to attend as official guests."

The Queen had a sickeningly gleeful smile printed across her lips, she enjoyed tormenting Rose way too much. Rose knew a three week deadline for the task at hand was extreme to say the least, and she knew all too well that the Queen knew that too.

"If that's all I'd like to start," Rose said as calmly as she could manage.

Rose was fuming. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised, but she really didn't expect the Queen to still be so cold towards her. To begin with she had never done anything to deserve such treatment, and it was the Queen that had called her for help. But Rose also knew if she didn't get out of that room soon she would end up exploding, and that could have possibly left the Queen burning – literally.

"You can leave," the Queen replied in her dismissive tone.

It took all of Rose's control not to run out of the palace once they had left the room. The Queen's cruel and dismissive ways had her blood boiling, and the best way to exert the pent up energy was to find strigoi, and fast. She continued to roll her hands into fists as they walked out the main door and into the cool night air.

"Where are you going?" Costin asked her as she continued walking to the stairs.

"To find strigoi," she replied, biting her tongue to keep the 'der' firmly in her mouth.

"I think you should calm down first," Costin suggested, but it did nothing to convince Rose.

"I think I need to find strigoi and get this crap finished so I can get out of here." Rose said as she spun to face Costin, frustration caused her voice to strain. "I don't want to stay any longer…"

Rose's words cut off as soon as she felt it. The strangest sensation she had ever experienced washed over her. It was nothing like the nausea she had experienced once upon a time, and it also wasn't anything of discomfort. Her entire body tingled with energy and excitement, it was warm, but certainly unwelcome when she didn't know the source of the sensation.

Overwhelmed by the feeling, Rose spun around, eager to locate the cause. Magic was her main guess, but something told her it was more than just magic. The feeling was a magic of sorts, but one Rose could never have guessed. There, around a hundred yards from where Rose stood was a tall, handsome Russian man who had held her heart for years.

"What's happening?" Rose gasped, hoping Costin would hear her soft voice.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Costin asked as he stood in front of Rose, blocking her view of Dimitri.

"I'm tingling all over," Rose exclaimed. "I can't make it stop!"

Costin looked somewhat bewildered at Rose as she continued to stare straight through him. He followed her eyes to where Dimitri stood, talking with another guardian. Confusion filled both of them as they failed to explain the strange occurrence.

After a few minutes the tingling slowly disappeared, leaving only confusion and loss in its wake. She couldn't explain why, but Rose wanted the sensation to come back, she wanted it to fill the emptiness that had been a part of her for so long. And just as Rose couldn't explain what had caused the sensation to start, she also couldn't explain what had made it go away.

"It's gone," Rose breathed.

"Okay," Costin said as he turned to look over his shoulder.

The sensation was gone, and so was Dimitri. Rose glanced around Costin to see the same thing, the spot where Dimitri stood only moments before was now empty, and he was nowhere in sight. Still slightly unnerved by the situation, Rose pushed away the unwanted feelings and questions. She was ready to hunt strigoi.

"Okay, well that was weird," she said dismissively. "So, as I was saying, I am going to start hunting now, the sooner I can leave here the better."

"Rose, I'm not sure it's a good…" Costin started but was cut off by Rose.

"Good idea or not, it's still what I'm going to be doing."

And with that Rose walked away, she had already decided, and nothing was going to change her mind. With all that had already happened she had too much pent up energy to just hide away in her room all day, she just hoped that she would be lucky enough to find strigoi relatively close to court.

~:~:~:~:~

Costin paced the small lounge room as his mind tried to process everything. The others had tried to warn him about the possible hardships he would encounter leaving Rosemarie at the academy as long as he had, but at that point he hadn't wanted to listen. He was having a difficult time comprehending his role in the whole Watcher life, and he knew bringing Rosemarie to him while he was still unprepared would have been a big mistake.

But as his paced the room for the two-hundredth time he wondered if a bigger mistake had been made.

There was no doubt Rosemarie was special, Costin knew that in great detail. Not only was she destined from birth to become the Watcher, she had also been brought back to life by a spirit user. She had more power than any Watcher had ever held, and Costin was sure they hadn't even come close to knowing her full potential.

The only thing Costin didn't know, was just how affected she was by Dimitri. Rosemarie was adamant that she needed to stay away from those of her past, and Costin respected that decision for her sake. It had already been hard enough for her to leave them behind once, and the others had done a fantastic job in ensuring everyone would believe she was dead. The investigation team had consisted of the others, and that had sealed the deal. But there was something going on with Rosemarie, and Costin suspected it had a lot to do with her previous relationship with Dimitri.

He needed more information, and with Rosemarie out he only had one choice. He pulled out his phone and dialled the number he knew by heart.

"What is it Costin?" a gruff male voice asked upon answering the call.

"I need to know more about possible complication from Rosemarie's relationship with Dimitri," Costin replied, he knew he should have asked this a long time ago.

"What's been happening?"

"As you know we were called to assist court in a matter, and Dimitri is here, and from what I can tell Rosemarie is greatly affected by him, even when she doesn't know he is near." Costin explained, recalling the situation from earlier in the day.

"I need to know everything that's happened recently, I don't care whether you think it's significant, tell me everything," he demanded.

So Costin started explaining everything that had happened in the past few days. He started with Rosemarie's sudden weakness during her last strigoi fight, he continued with the situation that had occurred on the plane and he finished with the sensation Rosemarie had explained when Dimitri had been near her.

"And you say she didn't know he was there?" the voice confirmed.

"She had not seen him before, and she didn't realise he had gone before she confirmed the sensation was over," Costin answered.

There was a string of profanities before the call was ended. As badly as Costin wanted answers, he knew better than to call back. Upsetting the others was never a good idea, which is why he had always been so hard on Rosemarie. But at least Costin knew he wasn't imagining things, there was some kind of connection between Rosemarie and Dimitri that no one had considered.

His phone buzzed in his hand, alerting Costin to a text message that only read, _find out if they had sex_. That was a conversation he never wanted to have with anyone, especially Rosemarie. And he sure as hell didn't want to know why the others needed to know about her sex life.

But for Costin, and Rosemarie, this was only the beginning. And neither of them were prepared for the decisions that would have to be made.


	6. Chapter 6

FRUSTRATION IS ONLY THE START

After spending hours outside of the wards, Rose hadn't stumbled across a single strigoi. Frustration still raged inside her after the meeting with the Queen, and she was running out of time to find any unlucky abominations who she could unleash her rage on. With only an hour left of darkness Rose decided she might as well head back to court and stay in her room until it was late enough to kill a dummy or two in the gym without being disturbed by anyone.

In the years she had spent away from her homeland she had forgotten just how beautiful it was. It was more beautiful than any of the places she had travelled to. It wasn't something she had ever really considered before then, she had always felt so claustrophobic at the academy with the towering mountains surrounding her, and yet in that moment she longed to be surrounded by them again.

She had learnt the hard way that you don't know what you have until it's gone.

Rose felt the magic of the wards as she crossed them, the power of the combined elements sent a tingling sensation across her skin, which only made her think of the other sensation she had felt earlier that day. While the sensations were somewhat similar, they were also very different. The main difference between them was that the tingling caused by the magic only covered her skin and it came and went quickly, the tingling she had experienced earlier had travelled right through her body, down to the bone, and it lasted much longer.

Of course Rose refused to see the connection between the strange sensation and Dimitri, instead she put it down to some freak occurrence that would never happen again. Sure it might have been hard to comprehend anyone having that kind of affect on you, but it was right in front of her and she still wouldn't see it.

She walked briskly back to her apartment, keeping her head down as she passed moroi and dhampirs. She hadn't thought to take a hoodie with her when she had left for the meeting with the Queen, which meant those who stopped to stare saw more of her than she ever wanted. And the gawking bystanders didn't do anything to improve the already on edge brunette's mood.

Rose ignored their whispers, and continued walking as quickly as she could without causing any more of a spectacle than had already occurred. Finally she made it to the building that provided the safe confines of her room, the only place she could really escape everything. She rapidly pushed the elevator button, impatiently waiting for the doors to open, and when that took longer than five seconds she headed for the stairs.

Finally Rose got back to her room. She slammed the door behind her, locking the dead bold for good measure before collapsing onto the couch. Her mind was a mess with clouded thoughts and feelings. Each barging through to make itself known, but Rose was in no place to see each for what they were. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, just as Costin had taught her to do in times of stress, but it was far from working.

Rose was so wound up, the only thing that was going to release any of her pent up anger and frustration was physical exertion.

_How can that bitch honestly think I can stop an attack within three weeks_, Rose thought angrily. And in reality she was right. What the Queen was asking was near impossible, even with the extra powers granted to her. And it was highly likely the Queen knew it too, she enjoyed watching Rose squirm. However, Rose wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. Though one thing was bugging her, she had spent several hours searching for strigoi with absolutely no luck, so there was even less chance of succeeding if she couldn't find them to begin with.

Or was it that there was no invasion at all?

As much as she disliked the Queen, Rose couldn't imagine her playing that sort of game. And the fact remained that the Queen also disliked Rose, so surely she wouldn't have called her there for no reason at all. As that possibility continued to swirl around inside her head, Rose moved on to other points that needed consideration.

What would the strigoi use as their tactic? It was known that some humans willing worked with strigoi, and there had been cases where humans had broken wards so that strigoi could gain access. But the places that had happened had been houses in the middle of nowhere, the locations hadn't been anything like the royal court. And if humans were involved Rose ran into a problem. She would never willing attack a human, the worst she would do is incapacitate them in self-defence.

Endless possibilities began to come forward as Rose considered other ways the strigoi could gain access to court undetected. _What if they have guardians working with them?_ she thought. However, Rose instantly discounted that possibility, she couldn't imagine any guardian going against everything they had ever lived for to work with strigoi. She even tried to think about places strigoi could take shelter during the daylight hours, but she had no idea. Rise didn't know anything about the land surrounding the court, it was wild and rugged and without maps there was no way she could work out any strategies within three weeks.

After letting out a sigh of frustration Rose pulled herself off the couch and made her way to the kitchen. She hadn't eaten anything since Costin had all but forced her to eat a doughnut. Her stomach ached as she opened the fridge and evaluated the food on offer. Nothing appealed to her in there so she moved to the cupboard. Again, nothing made her really want to eat, but if she intended on going to the gym she needed to.

She grabbed some bread, lunchmeat and cheese and quickly made a sandwich. It wasn't a lot, but the carbs would keep her going a little longer. After the sandwich was finished she checked the time. It was late, but not exactly late enough to safely use the gym without interruption.

So to fill the time Rose slid her earphones deep in her ears, cranked up her workout playlist and began stretching. Her muscles were tight due to the stress trapped inside her, and she struggled with a lot of the stretches she did on a daily basis. But after half an hour – twice as long as it normally took – she was ready go.

Rose changed into a pair of gym shorts and a sports bra, donning a hoody just in case there was anyone wandering at the late hour, and headed out the door. The warm sun welcomed her as she exited the main door of the building, warming any uncovered skin as she walked briskly down the road. The gym wasn't close to the accommodation building where Rose was staying, but she didn't mind the walk. It gave her time to consider everything she had been thinking about earlier in the day.

She entered the gym to find it peacefully empty, though to make sure she checked change rooms as well. For a brief moment Rose considered locking the doors to the gym to ensure she was left alone, but doing that would have only led to more problems if someone did come by. The last thing she needed was a group of guardians breaking down the door.

She headed straight for the punching bags. They hung from sturdy wooden beams at the far end of the gym. All the of the bags looked fresh and new, though Rose wasn't sure that's how they would stay, at least one of them was going to end up as a pile of stuffing on the floor. She chose the one in the farthest corner, it was the bag that offered the most concealment.

She cranked up her music and positioned herself in front of the bag. She was more than ready for some serious bag kicking.

The first punch that connected with the bag felt better than any she had ever thrown. Her lethality became more extreme as her thoughts intensified. The first punch was for never being able to have a chance at a 'normal' life, the next was for being stuck at court with no idea whether the story behind being there was true, and after that the punch was for not knowing what was happening with her mind and body.

Rose had never had this much pent up frustration, not even when times were the worst that she could have imagined. Not even when she had been stolen from her life and put in one that made no sense to her. She had never felt nearly as fatigued as she had on her last outing in Paris, she had never felt so out of control of any situation. But worst of all, she had never felt so alone.

The agile brunette continued on her rampage towards the punching bag, continuously punching and kicking into it. Her muscles felt completely at home with the level of exercise Rose was partaking in, and her mind began to slow down. However, one thought continually caused her heart to ache.

She was back at court, had seen Dimitri more than once, but she couldn't have him. It was the cruellest of any punishment she could receive. Her heart longed for him, more than ever with him being so close. But of course the dictation of her life wouldn't permit her to do anything more than watch from afar.

She was to be a sole act for the rest of her days. The Watchers never worked along side anyone, and as far as Rose knew no other Watcher had ever been summoned to court to aid in anything. As far as she knew, no other Watcher had ever been known by anyone but his or her guide. It wasn't too surprising for Rose to make it all a first.

Eventually – after three hours – Rose stopped her attack. The punching bag was hanging only by a thread, and it had multiple holes in it. She sucked in a long, deep breath and exhaled it slowly. She felt much more relaxed than she had in a long time. It was amazing what a few hours of violently beating something could do for her.

Since she hadn't brought a change of clothes with her, Rose headed straight back to her room to shower and settle in for the 'night'. She of course didn't count on stepping out of the shower and finding several missed calls and angry sounding messages from a certain Romanian demanding to know where she was and why she didn't have her phone on her at all times.

She considered ignoring the twenty calls and fifteen messages, and just falling into bed. The warm comfort of the large bed was extremely enticing, but Rose knew if she didn't respond Costin would go crazy, and the next time she saw him he would likely be very, very pissed off. Her fingers glided over the phone keypad as she quickly typed out a text to Costin.

_Sorry, went gym forgot phone, back now._

Just five seconds after Rose sent the text her phone was vibrating in her hand. 'Costin calling' flashed on the screen as she considered avoiding the call. She had let him know she was fine, and all she wanted to do was slip into a dreamless sleep. With a heavy sigh she accepted the call.

"What the hell Rosemarie?" Costin yelled into the phone. "I have been calling you for hours."

"I went to the gym and forgot to take my phone," Rose explained. _Just as I told you in the text_.

"That's not good enough Rosemarie!" he chastised. "I had no idea what was going on. For all I knew you could have been dead outside the wards!"

"Well I'm not, I am fine, just as my text said," Rose said with annoyance. "I'm sorry I forgot my phone, I just needed to get to the gym."

"Did you find any strigoi?" Costin asked, going off topic suddenly.

"Nope," Rose replied. "Oh, speaking of which, I need some details maps of the areas around court, you think you could get those for me?"

"I should be able to," Costin said, Rose was beginning to pick up the nervousness in his voice.

"Everything okay Costin?" Rose asked, even using his first name in the hope it might help with getting a truthful response.

"Uh…yeah of course it is," he stuttered. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Rose rolled her eyes before replying. "Just making sure."

"Well you should try to get some rest after your work out," he said, changing the subject abruptly again. "I'll come by tomorrow…with the maps."

Rose ended the call feeling uneasy. Sure that unease could have come from being at court, with the constant threat of being seen by people she knew, but she knew it was from the way Costin had just been. There was something he wasn't telling her, and with everything else going on, the last thing she needed was anything else.

Rose pulled the curtains closed and climbed into bed. She blocked any thoughts that tried to invade her mind as her head rested on the pillow. Her troubles could wait until she woke, the only thing she wanted in that moment was to take advantage of the peacefulness the work out had brought her. She closed her eyes and gradually slipped away.

She needed to enjoy the sense of peacefulness while it lasted. The frustration she had almost been suffocated by was only the tip of the iceberg.

~:~:~:~:~

Adrian paced his room, unable to sleep for the second night in a row. Surprisingly he was sober, he'd sobered up pretty quickly after he'd seen the familiar brunette rush by him in Nick's bar. The scene replayed over and over again in his head as he paced back and forth, it was his way of trying to find anything that could convince him it hadn't been her.

She was supposed to be dead. Taken in the middle of the moroi night, never to be seen again. He remembered the pain like it was yesterday, he remembered the devastation as they had tried to come to terms with what had happened. But most of all he remembered how Vasilisa had been. For months she had been just a shell, he could still hear that gut-wrenching scream when she had felt the bond break.

But he knew what he had seen. Despite everything telling him it couldn't have been Rose, he knew it was. She had changed. There was no doubt about that, she was as slim as any moroi, and more beautiful than he remembered, but it was her.

He couldn't take the torment of pacing any longer. He grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch and headed for the door. It was late, but he needed to see someone. He had to tell them what he saw, whether they would believe him or not.

He pounded heavily on the red door of a house not far from his lavish apartment. He would do whatever it took to wake them, even if he pounded on the door all night. He stopped as he heard muffled voices from the entrance, one female voice and two male voices arguing about opening the door. Of course, the female voice ended up winning.

"I have to talk to you Lissa," Adrian said breathlessly as the door opened.

Behind the petite blond moroi dressed in pyjamas stood Christian, which was a given since he lived there, but next to him stood Dimitri.

"What's he doing here?" Adrian questioned harshly.

"Calm down Adrian," Lissa said in a small voice. "He's my guardian, he can be here whenever I want him to be."

Adrian opened him mouth to speak again, but closed it again, he did this a few times which only made him look like a fish. Dimitri was one person he didn't want to speak about Rose in front of.

"What do you want to talk about?" Vasilisa said with a soft sigh, unlike Adrian she hadn't meant to be so snappy.

"Could we speak…uh…alone?" Adrian asked in a stutter.

"Whatever you need to talk about, you can trust them as well."

That was the last thing Adrian wanted to do, he didn't want to say what he needed to in front of Christian and Dimitri. First of all he knew Christian would jump in to defend Vasilisa mode, telling him he was wrong, it was impossible for him to have seen Rose. Adrian knew Christian was only doing it to try and protect the Princess, but it had gotten to the stage where no one could say Rose's name without him flipping out.

Secondly Adrian didn't like Dimitri. It might have seemed like a childish reason, but he had never been sure of the Russian. He had called him a cradle robber to Rose, and he had made it sound sort of jokingly, but he wasn't convinced Dimitri hadn't just been using Rose as a fling.

But if it was the only way he was going to be able to talk to her, then he was going to bite the bullet and do it.

"Can I at least come on?" he asked.

He might have agreed – very hesitantly – to talk to Vasilisa with Christian and Dimitri present, but doing it outside where anyone could overhear was out of the question. In reply to his question she opened the door further and stepped out of the way.

Adrian stepped into the house he had frequently visited since they had all moved to court. It was more the size of a mansion, but the way Vasilisa had decorated made it feel more like a log cabin, warm and homely. Once the door was closed and locked he followed Vasilisa to the sitting room, Christian and Dimitri followed behind him.

Unsurprisingly the sitting room had been redecorated since he had last seen it. It had gone from being extremely modern with its various shades of whites and blacks, to being more comfortable. A new fireplace had been installed, and in all it seemed more inviting.

"Spit it out Adrian," Vasilisa said as she sat on the couch across from him.

"Well you see…" he started, but paused.

He had no idea where to start, and he knew his drunken state on the night was only going to cause problems. But he had to get it out, it was driving him insane.

"I saw Rose," he said, his voice clear and precise.

"You what?" Vasilisa shrieked.

"I know what you're going to say, it's not impossible, she's dead, blah blah blah. But I promise you, I saw her."

"Get out," Christian demanded. "If this is why you've come here in the middle of the night, then we don't want to hear it."

"Please believe me Liss, you know this isn't something I would joke about," Adrian pleaded as he leaned towards her. "Please Lissa."

"When did you _see_ her?" Vasilisa asked, he voice was strained and her eyes welled with tears.

"Two nights ago," Adrian replied. "I swear it was her, I knew it the moment I saw her."

"Where did you see her?" Christian asked, sarcasm ripe in his tone as if he knew the answer already.

"Nick's bar," he replied after swallowing hard.

"So you were drunk as a skunk when you supposedly saw Rose?" Christian questioned.

Christian glared at Adrian with his arms crossed as he waited for a reply. It was the exact reason he didn't want an audience. He slowly shook he head knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere unless he found a moment where he could catch the Princess alone. Which was near impossible since everywhere she went Dimitri followed.

"I haven't had anything to drink since I saw her Liss," Adrian said as he turned his focus back to Vasilisa.

"Have you tried to dream walk her?" Vasilisa asked as her voice shook.

"I've been too wound up to even try," Adrian explained. "That's why I'm here, I was hoping if I talked to someone about it I might be able to get myself calm enough to try."

"If she's alive, then why did I feel the bond break?" Vasilisa asked as a tear rolled down her delicate cheek.

"I don't know Liss," Adrian replied sadly. "But I'm going to find out, I promise."

"Get him out of here," Christian said to Dimitri.

"Don't even think of touching me Russian," Adrian snapped. "I'll work this out Liss. I'll find her.

Adrian left the house with a feeling of defeat. He didn't know what he'd expected when he'd decided to see Vasilisa, but the way things had turned out hadn't left him feeling much better than before.

He did, however, have more determination to find out what had happened to Rose.


	7. Chapter 7

ANSWERS

Nothing seemed to make sense for the lonely brunette. Everything around her was rapidly changing and she was failing to keep up with it all. After a week of being at court she was no closer to finding anything that would remotely shed light on the whole 'court will be attacked' theory, and with the deadline only two weeks away, she was quickly running out of time.

Even with that put aside, she was still dealing with everything else that being at court brought her. Her heart ached heavily for Dimitri, for the sound of his voice, for his touch. She longed to see the girl she had once known as her best friend and sister. To lay on the couch as they watched some chick flick, gossiping, whining, and sharing their pain with each other. But she couldn't do it, she couldn't break the promise she had made for them and her other friends. She refused to hurt them again.

In the days that had passed she had gone over the meeting with the queen a million times, recalling every detail she could. But each time she was only left with more questions and less answers. Either the queen was a pro at acting, or Rose was missing something from the entire equation. She had considered every possibility her mind conjured up, but nothing seemed to fit. And added to that, there was also the fact that she hadn't found a single strigoi.

Surely if they planned on engulfing court she would have found at least one lurking in the area, but she had failed to find any traces of the creatures.

And boy did she feel like packing up and leaving. She faced that dilemma every day since Costin had dropped the bombshell on her. She still couldn't fathom why he had randomly decided to ask her if she had ever slept with Dimitri. And it only annoyed her more that he refused to tell her why it was something he _needed_ to know.

"I cannot tell you why I must know, but please believe it is very important," he had said, his Romanian accent had been thick and weighty, indicating his discomfort.

To say Rose had been mortified would have been the biggest understatement of the century. No one knew about what had happened between her and Dimitri on that fateful night, and if Rose had any say in it that's exactly how it would have stayed. But of course Costin hadn't bought Rose's denial, no matter how many times she said no, he would just ask her again – Rose had never been a good liar. It was a good couple of hours before Rose caved into having the most awkward conversation of her life. A conversation she wished more than anything could be erased from her memory.

Even after a few days Rose hadn't been able to look Costin in the eye.

Straight after the conversation Rose had reverted back to how she had been in the many months after she had been taken from the academy. An invisible wall was pulled up, blocking her emotions from everyone, even herself. Her emotionless façade protected her, even from the worst of situations. She hadn't exactly stopped caring completely, and it didn't mean she wouldn't focus on the job that was required of her, if anything every ounce of her concentration remained solely on that job. But everything else was pushed away.

Unbeknown to Rose, the wall also aided with something else. It prevented nosey spirit users from being able to invade her sleep.

~:~:~:~:~

It was early in the moroi morning on the eighth day of Rose's entrapment at court. She sat on the couch of her temporary accommodation, once again looking closely at the maps Costin had managed to gather for her. She had already looked at them in great detail several times before, and on her outings she had checked every place strigoi could possibly hide. But she hadn't found anything.

No matter how many times she looked at the maps, no new caves or other hideouts appeared.

Her next step was to scout the town that was closest to court. However, she ran into a slight problem with that. The town was at least two hours away by car, and a car was something Rose didn't have. Her fingers drummed on the coffee table as she considered her options. Sure she could have just stolen a car from court, but she figured that wasn't the best of ideas since she was trying to keep a low profile. She could have asked Costin, but after their little 'birds and bees' conversation she was avoiding him as much as possible. Or she could have ran the distance.

The running side of things wouldn't have been an issue really. When necessary she could maintain a fair speed with running, but there was something that silently worried her. She had come to notice if she travelled too far from court she became fatigued, and the further she wandered the worse it became. And while it might have worried her, she wasn't going to seek advice from the one person she could. The whole avoiding him was a pain, but Rose's stubbornness prevented her from seeing that.

She leaned back onto the couch and closed her eyes as she tried to find any other way she could get a car. She only needed it for a few hours at the most. Four hours of driving, and the town wasn't big, so she guessed she could search the place in two to three hours. Slowly she rubbed her temples, trying to summon any idea that could beat the only ones that had come forward. But there was nothing.

Heaving a heavy sigh Rose pulled her phone out of her pocket and typed out a quick text. _Need a car, don't ask why, just do_, she reread the message before sending it to Costin. She didn't stop to consider her words might have been harsh in any way, but that was mainly because the shield prevented her emotional logic from shinning through.

She pulled herself off the couch and headed for the shower. The hot water caressed her bare skin as she stood underneath the stream, contemplating what she could do if her visit to the town provided no leads. She was running out of options and ideas. And the theory of there not being an attack crept back into the young Watcher's mind.

The whole situation was starting to take its toll on Rose. She had never been in a situation – as a watcher or not – that had been so damn complicated. She cursed at herself for thinking the job sounded easier than it was turning out to be. Find strigoi, stop strigoi, get the hell away from court. The steps needed to fulfil the job seemed easy, and yet she hadn't been able to complete the first step.

Of course Rose was being too hard on herself. Before being summoned to court she had only hunted strigoi. There were times that Costin would give her information he'd received from somewhere – he'd never been forth coming with where that information came from – regarding strigoi being at specific places or frequenting a certain club, but most of the time she used her own skills to locate strigoi as she wandered the city streets.

So the situation Rose found herself in was unlike anything she had ever done. Nor was it something she had ever expected.

But Rose was determined. She was going to get the job done, and she sure as hell was going to do in the time remaining. She wasn't going to risk being made to attend the Queen's annual ball. So with that, she needed to get to work.

She pulled herself away from the relaxation of pounding water and turned the shower off. She quickly dried and dressed in the usual black tights and tank top before checking her phone again. Costin had replied, and thankfully it was in Rose's favour. She gulped down a bowl of cereal and headed out the door.

As Costin had said in the text, a car was waiting for Rose outside the building. The last rays of sun hit the metallic black paint of the SUV causing it to shimmer. The windows were heavily tinted and the cream leather seats called for Rose to get in. When she had said she needed a car, a large Hummer was not what she had been expecting. She had actually been picturing a run down piece of scrap metal that would hardly make it to the town.

Rose slid into the luxury edition Hummer and turned the key that awaited her in the ignition. The engine came to life, she connected her iPod, cranked up the music as she drove out of court.

The drive was less than eventful and by the time she reached the town darkness had completely set in. Rose drove down the main road, her eyes darting to each side of the road as she looked for somewhere to park the car safely. The town seemed quiet, shops were closed and no one wandered the streets. It wasn't exactly the type of town Rose could see strigoi hiding out in.

She pulled into an all night truck stop and shut off the engine. She could see a young woman perched on a stool behind the counter, reading a magazine filled with celebrity gossip. _The life of a small town_, Rose thought with a sigh as she got out. The night air was cool against her olive skin, causing goose bumps to litter her arms each time the breeze picked up. With a slight shiver Rose started filling the tank, keeping her eyes on the road as she did so.

It was as she screwed the cap back on that she saw him. He stood on the other side of the road, about a hundred yards away from the truck stop, his deathly white skin shone under the light of the moon. He watched her with a great intensity in his eyes.

Rose was all too aware of the two stakes she was carrying. They applied pressure, letting her know they were ready whenever she was. Slowly she walked towards the strigoi, the last thing she wanted to do was alarm the woman in the truck stop, especially when she fully intended to pay for the fuel.

"Such a prize I shall receive tonight," the strigoi said as he pushed his blond mop hair away from his face.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Rose replied, stopping a couple of feet away from him. "Mind telling me what you know about the royal court being attacked?"

Casual conversation was something Rose never wanted to have with a strigoi, and it was paining her to have to do it. But she needed information, and if playing the sweet and innocent girl would help her get what she needed, then she was going to suck up her discomfort and do what was needed. That of course didn't mean she would enjoy it.

"Hmmm, let me think about that," he said as he tapped his finger to his chin. "I might have heard something about that, but why exactly would I be telling you?" He grinned.

"It could definitely work in your favour to share what you know with me," Rose said casually, her eyes watching every move he made.

"Oh, you know I don't believe that," he said with a laugh.

He continued to watch Rose, intrigue filled his eyes as he did so. Every thing screamed at Rose to just kill him already, he was never going to tell her anything of use. Could she really take anything the creature said seriously anyway? But still Rose stood there, staring at him as he did her.

"You're different than the others," he said after a drawn out silence.

"You're smarter than the others," Rose replied, no hint of humour or sarcasm in her voice.

"And so where shall we go from here?"

"Well, you see I'm weighing up whether to kill you, which I'm am more than sure will save several innocent humans," Rose replied. "Or perhaps it would be better to let you run back with your tail between your legs and let your little friends know how bad attacking court would be."

It was a lie. Rose would never consider allowing a strigoi to go free. Her entire life she had sworn herself to protect moroi, and the only thing that change once she transformed was that she would protect moroi, dhampir and humans alike. The strigoi wouldn't be leaving her sight alive.

"You could always tell me what you know about the attack," Rose stated. "It would surely help me make up my mind."

"Just as you would never consider allowing me to leave alive, I would never tell you what I know about anything." He smiled at her, baring his sharp fangs.

"You aren't alive creature, never think you are. Your heart no longer beats, blood no longer flows through your veins. You are dead to all that ever loved you," she replied harshly as she slipped her stake from the band of her tights.

The strigoi's eyes grew wide as the weapon came into view, and he began to back away. Rose, however, wasn't fazed by the reaction. She knew he would run, after all he was actually one of the smarter ones she had come across.

Rose took off after the running strigoi, using her speed to catch him within a few seconds. He spun around, he eyes wide, his mouth open, his fangs ready to sink into her skin. Rose instantly stepped out of his fang's way, holding his arm as she did so. Within a few precious seconds Rose was behind the strigoi, his arm twisted so hard up his back that his fingers easily reached his neck.

She could feel the fatigue starting to come down on her. She knew she had to get back to court, the longer she stayed out, the more risk of finding herself in a lot of trouble.

"Tell me how many more are in this town," she said, her voice hard as she held the point of the stake to his back.

"I thought you said I was smart," he replied with a smirk.

"Tell me," she demanded as she drew the point across his skin.

"I don't know," he screamed. "But more will come, there's nothing that will stop the numbers."

She wasn't exactly satisfied with the answer, but time was running out. Her stake slid easily between his ribs, piercing into his heart. His body tensed as the _life_ spilled out, before he fell heavily to the ground. Torn between what to do with the corpse, Rose pushed it behind the bushes that ran beside the road, hoping the morning sun would turn him to ash. It wasn't like she could just set him fire right then and there.

Rose made her way back to the truck stop, threw her stake into the back of the car and went to pay. She needed to leave the town before she ran into any other strigoi. She quickly grabbed a bottle of water and a chocolate bar before walking up to the counter.

"Thought you weren't going to pay," the woman said lazily as she approached.

"Sorry?" Rose questioned.

"Saw you fill the tank, then you were gone."

"Oh that?" Rose said, quickly trying to think of a cover story. "There was an injured animal."

"Where is it now?" the woman questioned?

"Where's what?" Rose asked, as she pulled a card out of the pocket she had sewn inside the tank top.

"The injured animal?"

"Oh, I put it in the back of the car, I'll take it to a vet back home," she lied.

Soon enough Rose was on her way back to court, flooring it with no care of being caught for speeding. There was no time for that. Every moment she was away, the weaker she got. If she didn't hurry, she would pass out before making it back to safety.

Once safely back on court Rose left the Hummer parked where she found it and ran inside the accommodation building. She took the stairs two at a time until she reached the right floor, and ran straight to the door she was looking for. She thumped her hand against the door hard, refusing to stop until the door was opened by a wide-eyed Costin.

"I need answers!" Rose yelled. "And you're going to give them to me _now_."

She barged straight past Costin as she entered his room. She failed to see anything as she waited for his response, her rage was building, and there was nothing that could stop it.

"Answers to what Rosemarie?" Costin questioned, his innocence of the situation didn't fool Rose.

"Stop with your bullshit! You have to know something, you always do, thought it's only recently you started keeping things from me."

"Please take a deep breath Rosemarie, you are angry, I get that, but I can't help you when you are like this," Costin said as he laid a comforting hand on Rose's shoulder.

"Why am I suddenly getting weak all the time?" Rose questioned violently as she pulled away from his touch.

"You bonded with him Rosemarie," Costin replied softly with a sigh.

His words only caused more confusion for Rose. She couldn't understand what he was taking about. She had been bonded to Lissa, but that connection was gone ever since she had become the Watcher. And she was sure he had said 'he', which made even less sense, since she had never been bonded to a male to begin with. One of the two were loosing their mind, and Rose was sure it wasn't her. There had to be a reasonable explanation, and she was going to get Costin to spill it.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rose screamed, her anger boiling over more and more.

"I am talking about Dimitri," Costin replied, his voice unsteady with fear.

"You never say his name around me," she spat with venom. "This has nothing to do with him."

"Oh Rosemarie, it has everything to do with him," Costin said softly, willing his voice to calm her. "Please sit and I will explain it to you."

"You sit," she retorted. "And you _will_ tell me everything."

Costin sat on the couch as Rose paced in front of him. The words spilling from his mouth sounded absolutely crazy, but she couldn't deny the truth she found in them. Things began to make sense, pieces of the puzzle began to fit. But that didn't mean Rose liked it one bit, and she intended to desperately deny their truth.

"So…what you're tell me is…" Rose started, trying to get the story straight in her mind. "Because of _that_ night, and because Dimitri and I are _soul mates_, we are bonded to each other?"

"Yes," he replied. "That is why you are becoming fatigued, that tingling sensation you felt when he was near, it is all because your mind and body can no longer stand to be away from him."

"Then why didn't I feel the tingling feeling on the plane?" she questioned bitterly.

"I do not know, perhaps your body was relieved he was there?" Costin said in an attempt to answer her question. "You can no longer be apart from him Rosemarie."

"You're wrong," she muttered, unwilling to accept any truth in outlandish story.

"It's time he knew you are here Rosemarie," Costin said cautiously.

"That's not going to happen," Rose snapped. "But here's what _is_ going to happened. You will organise a meeting with the Queen for tomorrow morning."

"Rosemarie," Costin said with a sigh. "You need to see him."

"It's not going to happen," Rose said forcefully as she stormed towards the door.

Rose left Costin sitting bewildered on the couch as she slammed the door behind her. She was unwilling to see the truth in his words. She was unwilling to accept that one night had brought this story forward to begin with. She was unwilling to hurt the ones she loved.

~:~:~:~:~

Dimitri sat in Vasilisa's sitting room, listening to the argument going on between Adrian and Christian. The Princess sat on the couch next to where Christian stood screaming at the royal moroi who claimed Rose was still alive. Her expression pained.

It had been a few days since Adrian had claimed to have seen Rose in the bar, and Dimitri had been suffering ever since. His concentration level was at an all time low, which of him was concerning on it's own. But he couldn't stop thinking about the 'what ifs'.

For four years he had believed the love of his life was dead. For three years he had tried to move on with his life. He had soon realised he could never be with another woman, so instead he had put his all into his guardian work. His job was to protect the last surviving Dragomir, and that's what he had done. Every waking moment he had spent ensuring her safety. The job made easier since the Princess was forbidden to attend college after what had happened to Rose.

But for days, one question kept creeping into his head. It was so forceful that he couldn't bring himself to think about anything else. His whole mind focused on that one question: could Rose really be alive?

"I don't care what you have to claim Adrian," Christian said as he shoved Adrian. "You do not get to come into our home whenever you like and hurt Lissa."

"Lissa, please listen to me," Adrian pleaded once again. "I admit I haven't had any success with connecting with Rose's dreams, but I can feel her now, I know she is there, it's just that something is blocking me."

Dimitri saw Lissa look at Adrian with so much sadness in her eyes. It was clear that she didn't know what to believe. But either did Dimitri. While the four years without Rose had been hard, he'd accepted he would never see her again. And now, with Adrian's claims, his resolve was coming undone. Dimitri didn't know how long he could keep his stoic mask in place.

"Adrian," Dimitri said, his voice foreign even to his own ears. "What you are saying, after four long years, sounds impossible."

"Like you would know anything about impossible," Adrian snapped.

"I am not denying what you say is might be true," Dimitri said, trying his best to remain the peacekeeper in the situation. "But you can't blame any of us for be sceptical."

"Christian isn't being sceptical, he's abusing me because he refuses to see the possibility."

"Christian is just trying to protect the Princess." Dimitri countered.

His heart swelled just with the possibility that his Roza was in fact alive. But he also understood where Christian came from with his denial. He had seen what Vasilisa had gone through. They had all heard the strangled scream when the bond was broken, but it had affected Christian more because of his love for Vasilisa.

And in the same token, Adrian's words affected Dimitri more because his love for Rose. Could he really take the chance to completely believe Rose was in fact alive?

Adrian left the room, heading for the front door. Dimitri knew Christian's hostility had to be hard on him, especially since he seemed to believe what he said so whole-heartedly. Dimitri followed after him, stopping him before he had closed the door.

"What do you want Belikov?" Adrian snapped.

"I believe you," Dimitri stated. "I believe you saw Rose, I think I saw her too."

Dimitri remembered back to the plane trip from Paris. The trip where he'd been sent with a number of guardians to pick up a 'special' girl. He remembered how he had felt being near her, he remembered how she had seemed so familiar, even if he could only see the back of her which was covered in a massive hoodie. And he told Adrian about the encounter.

"You really think it was her?" Adrian questioned.

"Yes, I do," Dimitri replied, it felt good for him to finally admit it.

"Then how do we make them believe it?" Adrian questioned as he gestured towards the sitting room.

"We find her," Dimitri said simply. "Your Aunt would know who is on court at any given time, right?"

"Yes, she would," Adrian replied, his eyes widening as he realised what Dimitri was saying. "I'll see her tomorrow."

After Adrian left Dimitri leaned against the door as he sucked in a deep breath. For the first time in four years he left himself feel hopeful. He allowed himself to believe they would find Rose.


	8. Chapter 8

PURPOSE FOR LIVING

Rose's mind was spiralling out of control, even her strong mental walls were struggling to cope with everything the young Watcher was having to deal with. Costin's words from the night before echoed inside her head, and every time she tried thinking about something else - anything else - they just screamed louder.

Rose sighed heavily as she once again tried to prepare for her meeting with the Queen. She wasn't dressing any different to the first meeting, but she needed to prepare for what she would say to the woman who really didn't seem enthralled with seeing Rose again. Rose didn't take it personally though, it wasn't like she was jumping with excitement with the prospect either. The meeting was a requirement, nothing more, nothing less.

The Watcher was also relieved that Costin wouldn't be attending the meeting either. After the previous night, she didn't want to see him. And the likelihood of that changing was extremely slim. She had been wondering if Costin had actually become delusional since they had arrived at court. Not that she could entirely blame him if he had, the place was beginning to send her a little stir crazy as well.

However, with Costin not at the meeting it meant no one was there to rein Rose in if her temper took control of her.

After pulling on her hoodie Rose headed out the door. Her mind was still in complete chaos, but she couldn't miss the meeting. Her encounter with the strigoi the previous night provided her with information, information the Queen needed to know. It was time for the woman to set things into action.

Rose entered the Queens office with more confidence than the last time she had been in the room. She didn't pause as the door was closed, she didn't approach the desk slowly. She had a purpose, and as soon as that purpose had been fulfilled she would be able to leave. Not just the office, but court as well.

"Thank you for seeing me…Your Majesty," Rose said as she reached the desk.

The Queen simply lifted her hand dismissively, causing Rose to pause. She continued writing as Rose stood there waiting, growing more and more irritated as the seconds ticked by. The Queen wrote to the end of the page she was on, and continued to the next, and the one after that, completely ignoring Rose's presence.

"The annual ball is such a massive affair," the Queen muttered as she pushed the papers away slightly. Turning her attention to Rose, she said, "for someone who wants to keep a low profile from her friends, you aren't doing a very good job at it."

"Excuse me?" Rose questioned in confusion, staring slightly dumfounded at the Queen.

"I had a visit from my nephew today," she stated as she motioned for Rose to sit, an invitation Rose didn't take. "He is convinced he saw you, and even more convinced that he can feel you whenever he attempts to find your dreams."

Rose cursed under her breath. She knew Adrian would have recognised her in the bar that night, but when the womanising moroi hadn't come bashing on her door, she had allowed it to slip her mind. And to add to the horrible situation, he had been attempting to dream walk her. She was beyond thankful that he hadn't succeeded, but Adrian didn't seem like the type to give up that easily.

"What did you tell him?" Rose asked as her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

"I tried to steer him off course," the Queen replied as she stacked a pile of paperwork. "But that boy is determined to find you."

Rose swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. The conversation had seriously swerved off the path it was supposed to be on, and as much as she worried about Adrian finding her, there were more pressing issues. Issues the Queen needed to consider as high threat, and to act accordingly. Sure Rose was appreciative of knowing the new risk she was facing of being found, but the meeting wasn't about her non-existence to her friends, it was about the threat court was facing.

"I went into the town closest to here yesterday," Rose started as she desperately tried to sort her mind out.

She was fighting a loosing battle with her mental wall. The wall threatened to shatter at any moment, and she needed to get as much information out before she collapsed in a sobbing heap. There was no way she would allow the Queen to witness any weakness from her.

"And?" the Queen pushed.

"After a week I hadn't been able to find any traces of strigoi around court, so the town was the next best place to look," she explained as she placed her hands behind her back. "I found a strigoi there and was able to get some limited information from him before he was…eliminated."

"Don't keep me in suspense Rosemarie," the Queen chastised, leaving Rose momentarily feeling like a young girl again.

"There is an attack planned," Rose said once she had pulled herself together once again. "The numbers will be unlike anything you could imagine."

"I see," she mused. "Any idea of when this is supposed to occur?"

Her voice and interest seemed distant to say the least. Rose had expected her reaction to be more…concerned. There was a serious threat against the people who resided on court, the people the Queen had sworn to protect when she had been crowned. Yet what Rose was telling her seemed to be nothing more than general conversation to her.

"I don't have detail as to when," Rose started, her voice shaking slightly from anger. "I suggest you begin evacuating court, and if possible call more guardians in. If we have any hope in winning we need all the help we can get, without scared moroi running around."

"Oh Rosemarie, you cannot be serious," she said incredulously. "There is no way I can evacuate court. It would cause panic among those who live here, and it would greatly effect the upcoming ball."

"I'm deadly serious, you're the one that can't be serious," Rose said bitterly. "Some ball is more important than the safety of your people? You can't be that stupid!"

"This is a major event on the moroi calendar," the Queen stated, clearly not considering the danger. "And as for safety, that is why you are here Rosemarie, you will stop this attack."

"I may be different, I may possess more power than anyone in our world, but I don't do miracles," Rose spat, anger radiating off her.

"Then you better start."

Rose was again furious with the Queen. It was unbelievable the woman would leave such an event in the hands of one person. Sure Rose was the Watcher, but she wasn't invincible. And her powers could only help so much. She needed help, and a lot of it if they had any hope in causing as little damage as possible from the attack.

"You really are a heinous bitch," Rose said venomously. "You don't care about the people who live here, if you did, you would do everything in your power to get them out of here."

"Miss Hathaway," the Queen scolded. "You will speak to me with the respect I deserve."

"If you are going to leave your people to slaughter, just for the sake of your precious ball," Rose said, "then you don't deserve any respect."

Rose stared at the Queen, finding it hard to believe the woman could be so callous. The threat was serious as far as Rose saw it. There was an imminent attack on court, and instead of acting in the best interest of her people, the Queen was more concerned about saving her precious ball. It could very well been the last ball ever planned, especially if there were no moroi to attend such an event.

"Here's what you're going to do," Rose said angrily. "You will provide me with all rosters regarding guardians patrolling the wards. If no guardians currently patrol this area, you _will_ implement the procedure for them to do so."

"That I can arrange."

"Good. Patrols will need to be around the clock, with any humans apprehended." Rose paused, considering anything else she may have forgotten. "And I wish to be in contact with several guardians on patrol at all times."

Rose wrapped up the meeting and left without any hesitation. Her heart continued pound within her chest as anger tore through her veins. Her anger was only directed towards one person in that moment, the person who seemed to think an attack on court didn't take priority over some stupid annual ball. _Stupid obnoxious royals_, she thought bitterly as she hurried back to her room.

By the time she arrived back to her accommodation she had calmed down somewhat, but if she wasn't careful a hole could have still ended up in the wall. She pulled out the maps once more and concentrated on the area that the wards covered. She needed to know exactly where the guardians should patrol to gain the best coverage.

Her fingers traced along each track that came close to court as she looked for any caves or structures where a number of strigoi could hide. Too many of the tracks found their way to different caves and spots strigoi could use to hide, this fact alone was unsettling for Rose. There were several different points that strigoi could easily gain access to court if the wards were brought down, there were too many places they could gain access to without anyone knowing until it was too late.

Rose pushed the map away and leaned back into the couch. She had no idea how she was supposed to manage an operation, not when the Queen refused to play her part. It wasn't likely the guardians would even know what was coming.

~:~:~:~:~

The next day Rose opened the door to find a neatly dressed guardian holding a small box. Without a word he passed the box over and left. The Watcher half expected to find the Queen had sent her a bomb after the meeting they'd had. She really wouldn't have put it past the woman.

Instead, she opened the box to find detailed rosters of who would patrol the wards and when, as well as an earpiece. A brief letter explained the earpiece was for Rose to contact the guardians on duty at the wards at any given time and how to use the device. Rose was intrigued by the equipment, she had been imagining an awkwardly sized hand held radio.

She flipped the small device around in her fingers as she thought back to a shopping trip she'd taken with Vasilisa. She remembered wishing she'd been able to use the earpieces the guardians were using even then, considering at the time the trip had been considered training for the novices that had tagged along. It was also the trip that Dimitri had bought her a gift. Sure it was only her favourite lip gloss, but the sentiment still made her heart flutter.

Rose pulled herself out of the memory and headed for the kitchen. She wasn't exactly hungry, but anything was better than reminiscing about a past that hurt to remember. She rummaged through the cupboard and fridge before deciding on a sandwich. With all the food in the house, she still found it hard to find something to eat, most of the food required cooking. The experiences of cooking Rose had had ended up with a lot of smoke and fire.

Once her stomach was satisfied she placed the earpiece on and followed the instructions on how to use it. For such a small piece of technology, it sure did take more patience than Rose could ever have had. Finally she got the piece working, though if it had taken any longer it probably would have ended up in micro pieces on the floor.

"Full report of current situation of ward patrol," Rose ordered as she pressed the little button that allowed others on the same frequency to hear her.

In the next few moments Rose marvelled at how professional the guardians responded. They didn't question her or her authority, each responded in time with details of what had been happening in their set areas. Or lack of what had been happening, they had all reported that it was quiet and they hadn't seen anything out of place.

"Thank you," Rose responded once the guardians were done. "Next check in will be in an hour."

And that's how Rose spent the rest of her day. Sitting on the couch, watching the clock, counting down the minutes until the next check in was to occur. Even as the sun rose, and the day shone through, she continued getting updates every few hours. She knew there were still dangers in the daylight hours, she just had to hope the guardians took those risks seriously.

~:~:~:~:~

Vasilisa didn't know how she had managed to function since Adrian had blurted out his beliefs. Her mind was a mess of rapid thoughts and endless emotions, and each day she struggled to get by without completely breaking down. She had called in 'sick' to a couple of royal meetings, but they weren't especially important, they were only discussing the annual ball, and from previous years Lissa knew the women would end up gossiping about what they would be wearing, while the men compared investments.

The Princess wasn't even sure whether she would attend the event. Sure it was the biggest event of the moroi calendar, but with the way she was feeling, it was the last thing on her mind. Vasilisa held an important roll in the royal community, she was the last surviving Dragomir, and with that came more responsibility than any other royal had. And since she had lost Rose, she felt as though she had now lost all of her family.

Yes she had Christian, and she loved him more than words could ever describe, but it wasn't the same to her. After she had lost her parents and brother, Rose and Vasilisa had adopted each other as family. They'd been inseparable since such a young age, and Vasilisa's family had welcomed Rose with open arms into their family, inviting her to spend holidays with them, and treating her as one of their own.

And Vasilisa had hurt ever since Rose had disappeared. Others might have remembered her gut-wrenching scream as she had felt the bond sever, but the Princess was the only one who had felt the pain. It hadn't just been physical, the emotional trauma was excruciating too. The pain was still as bare as it had been years before, she couldn't help but flinch at the memory.

But the Princess was torn. She didn't know whether she could let herself believe Rose could actually be alive. Of course it was something she wished more than anything would be true. But allowing herself to believe it could be real, that her best friend and sister might be alive also opened her up to hurting just like she had four year before.

And this time it wouldn't have just been emotional pain she would feel. Vasilisa knew guilt was trying to push it's way to the surface. Guilt for giving up the belief Rose was alive, guilt for not continuing to look for her even when everyone said she was gone. The Princess knew Rose would never have given up on her, but that's what Vasilisa felt she had done.

_Could Rose ever forgive her for giving up on her?_

That was the main question that kept flowing through Vasilisa's mind, and it was one she dreaded the answer to. She hoped and prayed her best friend would find it in her heart to forgive. She hoped and prayed Rose was alive to be able to forgive.

To make the situation even harder for Vasilisa, Christian remained firm on his belief that Rose had died when the investigation submitted its findings. He had abused Adrian whenever he tried to speak about Rose, and had found a way to ensure he was always present when Adrian was around. Vasilisa knew Christian was only trying to protect her from getting hurt again, but the conflict between him and Lissa's closest friend hurt her too.

"Princess?" Dimitri asked as he entered the sitting room. "I'm sorry to disturb you."

"You're not disturbing me Dimitri," she replied with a small smile. "And please, call my Vasilisa, or just Lissa is perfectly fine too."

"I was wondering if we could talk for a moment Prin…Vasilisa?" he asked, looking uncomfortable.

"Of course we can," she said as she patted the cushion beside her. "What's on your mind?"

Dimitri paused, and while his face was void of emotions, the Princess caught the torment in his eyes. She wondered what could cause him any torment. She thought he was happy with his position as her guardian, but perhaps she had been wrong. As she watched the stoic man fidget nervously beside her, a million options sped through her mind. A million options, except the one he was about to broach.

"I know this topic must cause you discomfort, and if I am stepping out of line, please tell me," he said as he looked elsewhere in the room.

"It's okay Dimitri," she reassured him.

"Do you think Rose could be alive?" he asked as his voice slightly shook. "Like Adrian claims?"

"Well," she started, but paused to consider what he was actually asked. "I think if anyone could be alive after all this time, after disappearing as Rose did, it would be Rose." Lissa replied finally.

The Princess was transported into her memories, seeing Rose at times where she had marvelled at her best friends strength and resistance. Rose had always been the one who took control of the situation, promising Vasilisa she would be safe no matter what, and Rose had always been right. It was in that moment that Vasilisa felt more hope than she had since her best friend had disappeared, it flourished inside of her like a spring garden.

"Why do you ask?" Vasilisa asked as a new curiosity took form.

"Oh…I was just wondering...how you were feeling about it," he replied, but he didn't fool the Princess.

"You know Dimitri, you can share things with me," she said softly as he got up to leave. "You can trust me."

"I'll keep that in mind," he stated in a tone which Vasilisa took as dismissive.

Her conversation with Dimitri had helped her find some of the answers she needed. She no longer doubted that Adrian had made the story up, or had imagined it while highly intoxicated. She no longer questioned whether Rose could be alive. Her words had been nothing but the truth, she truly believed that if anyone could have survived the four years, Rose was that person.

The one person she needed to find was Adrian. He had the details she needed to find her best friend.

For the first time in four years Vasilisa felt as though she had found a purpose to once again live for.


	9. Chapter 9

IN THE END

Day after day Rose received the same news from the guardians patrolling the wards. All was quiet, and there was nothing suspicious or out of place. There was nothing to report no matter how often she checked in with them. But dutifully she continued checking, every hour during the moroi day and every three hours when the sun was present.

She had fallen into a routine the day after she had received the equipment from the Queen. She would go to the gym before court awoke and again after court was in slumber. Unlike a certain royal, she knew the attack could happen any time, and she wanted to ensure she was peak condition – physically and mentally – when it did come.

Throughout the day she would spend time meditating. It was something that Costin had introduced to her to, and although she had rolled her eyes at the process at first, she had come to see the benefits it could offer. She needed to calm her mind, so when it came to the battle she would be able focus on what was important. If her mind wasn't on the right things, an innocent moroi or guardian could have ended up in the line of her fire – literally.

Since her outrageous conversation with Costin, she still hadn't seen him. And she wasn't planning on it either. He was her guide, so she couldn't avoid him forever. But as long as the opportunity was there, she was going to take it greedily.

And since her preparations had begun, she hadn't thought of what that conversation had been about. She knew if she did her mind would unravel and she would fall to the floor as an emotional wreck. _There will be plenty of time after the attack to think about things like that_, she continually told herself. But deep down, she didn't believe it.

She had no idea what the attack would be like, but she knew it would be extremely lucky if she survived. She was supposed to remain positive in situations, no matter how grim the outcome might be, but with the pending attack on court she found that incredibly difficult. She had been left to manage the situation on her own, only three people on court knew of the threat, and only one those people would be fighting. So whether she was to be killed by a strigoi, or her power drained her life, she didn't hold much hope for surviving.

And of course when that thought crossed her mind, Dimitri floated in moments later, before being abruptly pushed back out. She refused the think about the regret she felt deep inside. She refused to allow it to swallow her.

Of course she had regrets of never seeing him again, especially when he was so close she could almost feel his skins warmth on her fingertips. But it would have been cruel to waltz back into his life just to crash straight back out of it. Her feelings were the same when it came to Lissa too. She refused to hurt them, never again would she cause their hearts to break.

As the days passed, the annual ball grew closer and closer. And as the days passed Rose grew more and more nervous.

~:~:~:~:~

It was two days before the ball when Rose had someone knocking on her door. She desperately tried to ignore the constant knocking as she attempted to mediate, but in the end her irritation won out. She swung the door open violently to find Costin standing there.

"I know you do not want to see me Rosemarie, but please we need to talk," Costin pleaded as his heavy accent tried to overwhelm the words.

"You're right, I don't want to see you," Rose stated as she tried to remain calm. "There's nothing to talk about. I need to continue preparing for the attack."

Rose went to slam the door shut, but Costin stopped it easily. He had more strength than a moroi would normally possess, and Rose cursed internally for forgetting that small fact. She opened the door back up, glaring at him with a look that would have sent anyone else running, but Costin stood firm, refusing to back down.

"Fine," Rose spat. "Talk."

"Not out here Rosemarie," he said as he looked warily around him.

With a sigh of frustration Rose walked towards the couch and waited for Costin to close the door behind him. He took a deep breath before turning to face her.

"We need to talk about our last conversation," he said gently.

"Actually, we don't," Rose retorted. "I understand court is sending you a little loopy, it's having the same kind of effect on me, but leave me out of your delusions."

"It is not a delusion Rosemarie," he explained as he slowly walked towards her. "What I told you is extremely real, and if not dealt with will cause horrible ends."

"I am not bonded to Dimitri," Rose yelled, she had lost any peace she had gained from her meditations. "I was bonded to Vasilisa until I was ripped into this damned life! I was never bonded to him, it's impossible."

"But everything says you should be impossible too." Costin sat down as he watched Rose's expression. "You were a dhampir who can now wield magic, is that not impossible as well?"

"I am a Watcher, all Watchers have been able to use magic," she replied angrily. "I am more powerful than them yes, but it's not all impossible."

"Oh, Rosemarie, you are a wonder, that is true," he marvelled. "But in speaking with…my contacts, they tell me there is more to your power than we could have ever thought."

"Well you can tell your contacts they're as screwed in the head as you are," Rose snapped, she'd had enough of the endless mind game. "You all tore me away from the ones I loved, telling me I was destined to this life, that I was special. And now you're trying to have me hurt the ones I never wanted to hurt in the first place. It's never going to happen, and make sure you tell your little buddies that too."

Rose was near the end of her tether, and Costin would be stepping on very thin ice if he continued on the current topic. He should have known how stubborn Rose could be, he should have known that once her mind was set on something nothing would change it. And Rose had already decided she wasn't going to be anywhere near those who knew here. Nothing was going to change her mind.

"Rosemarie, I need for you to at least listen to me," Costin pleaded. "If you do not reconnect with Dimitri soon…you will die."

"Oh, that's amusing Costin," she said sarcastically.

"It is not a joke," he tried to assure her. "Even here at court, if you are not close, if you do not feel his touch…then your power it will be too much for you."

"Okay, let's just say for a second you're right, which you sure as hell aren't…I just won't use my power," she said with a bitter smile. "Problem fixed, now you can leave."

Rose tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Costin to get up and leave, but he didn't. He sat there staring at her, his eyes full of sadness. But Rose couldn't believe him. It wasn't because she thought his story was absolute rubbish – well there was a bit of that – but her mind wouldn't allow her to open up to the theory. There was also the fact that she knew she would more than likely die in the pending battle anyway.

"Not using your powers will not help," he said sadly.

"So then I die, which I'm likely to do in the attack anyway," Rose said nonchalantly.

"You speak of your death so casually, I wish you would not do that. You cannot die Rosemarie, the world still needs you."

"Yes, yes, the world needs me, I get that Costin," Rose said in an over dramatic way. "But what I need right now is to continue preparing for the attack. I need to get my mind centred _again_ and I need to make sure I am physically ready. So please just go."

"You are too stubborn for your own good Rosemarie," Costin muttered as he walked to the door. "If you do not do something with the Dimitri situation, I will."

Rose couldn't deny that she was bothered by her conversation with Costin. _Is it still considered a delusion if the person continues talking about it?_ Rose thought as she considered what her guide had told her. She still couldn't see any truth in his claims, but she also knew he wouldn't talk out of term when it came to her death.

Costin had told her countless times that she was the one who would cause the greatest change to their world. He had told her that she would be the one to turn the tables on strigoi. She was what the world had needed. Of course Rose always took those pep talks as a mass over exaggeration, but there was something making her rethink the aspect. A voice in the back of her mind was screaming at her to take Costin's words seriously.

But approaching Dimitri…it wasn't something that could be decided instantaneously. She needed time to think, but that was the one luxury she no longer had.

~:~:~:~:~

Two sleepless nights later Rose was no closer to making a decision about Dimitri, and there still hadn't been any changes to the reports coming from the ward patrols. It was the day of the ball, and Rose stood staring at the gown the Queen had sent for her. A guardian had delivered the box sealed with a red bow that morning, a note attached read:

_Rosemarie,_

_To show there are no hard feelings, please accept my gift to you. I look forward to seeing you at the ball this evening._

_Tatiana_

The note was crumpled into a ball by her feet, the dress hung from the doorframe of her room. The dress was stunning, she couldn't deny that. The strapless floor length gown was black with the slightest shimmer of silver beading intricately running up the right side. Along with the gown _Tatiana_ had sent a pair of black stilettos encrusted with diamond looking crystals.

_To show there are no hard feelings_, Rose repeated in her mind. _The bitch thinks she can buy me_.

Rose turned her back on the dress, annoyed with the gesture. Of course there were hard feelings. Rose hadn't forgotten the Queens dismissive, uncaring ways, and it was unlikely she would ever forget them.

The watcher walked to the coffee table which was littered with map and once again spoke into her earpiece, calling for reports on the status of the wards. The normally highly disciplined guardians who responded instantly, said nothing.

"I am awaiting a response to my question," Rose said impatiently as her stomach became unsettled. "What are the status of the wards?"

"I…sor…wards…dow…" a voice responded.

Rose's heart plummeted as she filled in the missing pieces of the response. The wards were down…the attack was happening. Instantly Rose flew into motion. She ran to her room, grabbed her weapon belt and loaded it with everything that would fit. She slid an additional stake into her boot and ran out the door. As she ran down the stairs she sent a text to Costin telling him to remain in his room until he heard from her.

Her feet hit the pavement and she took off towards the centre of court. The moonless night was still, not a breath of wind floated by her. As she rounded the corner that landed her in the heart of court she saw the pandemonium. There were strigoi everywhere, panicked moroi were running, under trained guardians tried to fend off the attacks. From the corner of her eye she saw fire balls being thrown at strigoi, engulfing the creatures instantly.

There was a group of moroi sending wave after wave of magic towards the creatures threatening their lives, but it wasn't something they could keep doing. The moroi would become fatigued, and when that happened, their lives would be taken. At the thought Rose felt her powers build.

The Watcher ran full steam towards the strigoi closest to her, gun filled with enchanted silver bullets in one hand, her dagger in the other. Her shots were precise as she ran towards the fight, each bullet pierced the heart of a strigoi, sending it falling to the ground. Within moments Rose was within reach of the first strigoi. Her back was turned to the Watcher, leaving her an easy mark as Rose's dagger penetrated through her ribs, reaching her heart in mere seconds.

Rose continued, eliminating strigoi after strigoi, using her arsenal of weapons as required. Those who watched her were awed as she flipped and twisted gracefully, their mouths hung agape as they saw her take down several strigoi without a single hesitation. There was no denying her skill and agility would have her burned into their memories for the rest of their days. Their stories would be passed down to their children, and their children's children. The story of the Watcher would remain for longer than any other in moroi history.

Rose no longer saw her surroundings, only the strigoi that filled them. Their chillingly white skin, lifeless, red ringed eyes, and deadly fangs were the only things she concentrated on. Whether the strigoi were engaged in fighting a guardian or taking the life of a moroi, Rose didn't know, she only felt her power increase as each of them died. She relished in the power, allowing its strength to flow through her body, embracing its lethality.

The feeling her powers brought her was nothing like she had ever felt. She had always been determined to control her powers as Costin had taught her to do, she had never allowed them to take free rein over her body. But she knew it was what had to be done. She knew her powers were the only way she could provide court with the miracle it desperately needed.

Even if it would only end with her powers draining her of her life.

Rose had sworn herself to the life of the Watcher. She had been told she would provide their world with a new hope, she would save them from the strigoi. And she knew that was what she was doing. She knew if she died on that day, her destiny would have been fulfilled. She would die knowing she had saved the ones she loved from a cruel and unjust future.

So Rose allowed her powers to continue guiding her. She allowed them to use her body as their vessel. And that's what they did. Magic was released from her palms, her feet sent the abominations to the ground, her hands dealt the final blows. Over and over. Rose's body went wherever the powers led it. There was only one thing that caused her to stop.

A scream. A scream she would have known anywhere. Her heart and soul stopped the moment the sound touched her ears. Rose spun and ran towards the sound that could shatter her heart and bring her to life at the same time. It was in that moment that no other moroi or guardian mattered. It was in that moment that nothing could have stopped Rose from getting to her destination. It was in that moment Rose was unstoppable, even without the aid of her powers.

She came to a screaming halt as she took in the situation. Lissa was nestled in close to Dimitri's back, both of them edging away from the strigoi that were closing in on them. With each step the group of strigoi got closer to ending their lives. The two lives Rose loved more than anything in the world. There were at least twenty strigoi gaining on the pair, they were running out of options, the stake Dimitri held towards them would do nothing to help them.

Rose knew there was no way she could take down all the strigoi before they reached them. Even with the powers strength behind her, it wouldn't happen. Involuntarily Rose's mouth opened and a hollow scream filled the air. Her chest heaved forward as the sound continued, lifting her feet off the ground.

The power emanating from her was visible, the sounds of bodies falling to the pavement was audible. But Rose had no idea what was happening around her. She could no longer see anything but a blinding light, she could no longer hear anything but her own strangled scream. Her breathing had ceased the moment her powers took over, slowly they suffocated her as she hung limp in the air.

Rose's lifeless body fell, connecting with the road below her heavily. There she lay unmoving as the remaining traces of life leaked from her.

"Roza!" A male voice yelled, but to Rose it was only noise.

Seconds later two bodies hovered over hers. Their words were not heard by her ears. Their touch was not felt by her skin.

"Tell them…" she whispered as her eyes remained close. "Tell them…I did…it for…them."


	10. Chapter 10

WHEN ALL SEEMS LOST

Sacrifice. Something done or given to secure something better in return. And a sacrifice is what had to be given in order to end the attack on the court and save those Rose loved more than her own life. She may not have recognised the conscious decision to do so, but she had willingly made the choice as soon as she saw Dimitri and Vasilisa had no way out. She had been more than willing to lay down her life for theirs.

Her body lay lifeless in Dimitri's arm as Vasilisa's hands waved frantically over it. Seconds turned into minutes as the Princess tried time and time again to heal the woman who she would always call her best friend. Dimitri's head hung as he stared blankly at Rose, his eyes unblinking, his breaths rapid and shaking. He was scared.

He wasn't scared for his own life, or that of his charge. He knew all the strigoi had been eliminated, though he couldn't comprehend how that had happened. There was only one thing that he could have feared in that moment, one thing that had adrenaline pumping through his veins as he desperately tried to find solutions. He was scared – no terrified – that he was losing Rose all over again. Even though he hadn't really got her back in the first place.

He cursed at himself for not doing more to find her after Adrian announced he had seen her. He knew he should have pushed harder, even searched every dwelling and room on court until he had her safe in his arms once more. He would never have let her go again.

A lone tear escaped his duct as he watched her unmoving form. The pain he felt could never have been expressed in words. The hollowness he felt deep inside was eating away at him, as his mind played the nasty 'what if' game just to torment him some more.

"It's not working," the Princess cried, stirring Dimitri from his lost state. "Why isn't it working?"

Dimitri looked at the royal moroi who had become his official charge once she had graduated from the academy. The top of her beige dress was stained with tears as more trailed down her delicate cheeks. Heartbreak was written in her eyes. But Dimitri was at a loss as to what more they could do to save the woman they both loved. If Vasilisa couldn't heal her, then what hope did they have?

"She's gone Princess," Dimitri said, his voice shook as he tried to control the onslaught of emotions.

As he said the words neither of them ever wanted to hear again he felt his heart clench tightly before it shattered into a million tiny pieces. He had lost his Roza once already, yet somehow the second time around felt so much worst.

The sound of footsteps approaching sent Dimitri into protective mode. He knew the threat of strigoi was no longer there, but he was more than ready to stop anyone who tried to take Rose away from him. He pulled her body closer to his chest as another tear escaped its prison.

"What happened?" a male voice asked in a rush.

Behind Dimitri stood the moroi man he instantly recognised from the plane returning from Paris. He couldn't have explained how he knew, but he knew the man wouldn't cause Rose any harm. He scrambled around Dimitri and knelt beside the Princess, almost knocking her out of the way as he did so. It was clear the moroi man was only concerned about Rose.

"Only you can save her Dimitri," the man said once he had quickly examined Rose.

"Wh…what do you mean?" Dimitri asked as he looked at the moroi incredulously.

"You can save her," he repeated. "Spirit healing is useless right now, only you can do it."

"Are you insane?" Dimitri spat. "She's dead! I'm no doctor, but if spirit can't bring her back there's no hope."

Dimitri was furious that anyone would come up with such rubbish. If there was anyway to save Rose he would have done it ten times over to have her alive again. And yet, as he looked at the moroi man's face he could see he was deadly serious.

"You can do it," the moroi man urged.

"But how?" Dimitri pleaded.

"That is something only you can know." He paused. "Start by looking inside your soul."

The man's words reminded Dimitri of his grandmother and her cryptic messages, but he did what had been suggested. In his mind he was taken back to the first time he had seen Rose. He was standing outside the window where he had watched her provide the Princess with enough blood to keep her strength. He remembered how fierce she had been when it came to protecting her bond mate, even though it was obvious she was suffering from the effects of blood loss. He saw her as they spent countless hours training together, the way she would smile and laugh, the scent of her hair as they sparred. He remembered every little detail that had caused him to fall in love with his student, every stolen kiss, every lingered glance, every moment she had taken his breath away.

And then they were in the cabin. He could see himself struggling to calm Rose down as the darkness continued on its rein of terror. He saw, and felt, her body relax as soon as his lips touched hers. From that moment they were completely lost in each other as their bodies, lips and hands worked in perfect harmony.

It was from that vision he knew exactly what he had to do. Without needing anymore thought or motivation Dimitri leaned down an pressed his lips to Rose's, caressing them gently as every bit of love he felt for her flowed through their lips.

He heard Vasilisa gasp only seconds after their lips connected. He'd been so lost in his own thoughts that he'd completely forgotten her presence. He'd completely forgotten she had never known of their relationship, it was something they had kept only to themselves. He lifted his head with a lame excuse of an explanation, but the words left his tongue as soon as he realised what had shocked the Princess.

Rose's chest was rising with each small breath she took.

"How…I can't…it's not…" Dimitri stuttered as he tried to regather his thoughts.

He fought to find sense as his mind became overwhelmed with thoughts and emotions, but it wasn't possible. Rose's body had been cold and lifeless just moments before, then with the touch of his lips she had started breathing and he could feel the warmth of her skin steadily increasing. But surely there had to be more to it than just his kiss. It was absurd to think his kiss could bring anyone back to life, even Rose.

"How did that happen?" he asked as he continued to gaze down at Rose.

"We must leave explanations for later," Costin replied. "For now let us get her back to her room."

Dimitri lifted Rose with no effort and followed Costin. He didn't know why he was trusting the moroi, he couldn't explain why he was following him, in reality Dimitri didn't know much of anything in that moment. The only things he did know were that Rose was in his arms, breathing again, and Vasilisa was walking beside them, her hand laying protectively on Rose. Nothing else seemed all that important, as long as they were safe he could face anything.

As they walked question after question swirled inside Dimitri's mind. Where had Rose been? What had happened to her? How had she managed to kill the strigoi that had surrounded Vasilisa and him without touching them? He hoped the moroi would keep to his word and provide explanations, but he wasn't sure how long he could wait for them. It felt as though his mind was going to burst under the pressure.

They arrived at one of the accommodation buildings and headed straight for the stairs. Dimitri took the stairs three at a time to keep up with the surprisingly fit moroi, until they reached the top floor. He had never been in the building, but as a guardian he knew the top floor was where only the more prestigious visitors to court stayed. He instantly flashed back to the plane trip where he had been escorting the 'special' girl back from Paris.

Had that girl been Rose? As impossible as it had seemed at the time, looking back on it, it didn't so ridiculous.

"What now?" Dimitri questioned as he pulled with covers over Rose.

"We wait," the moroi man replied in a rather nonchalant way that annoyed Dimitri.

"For?" Dimitri pushed.

"Her to wake up." Dimitri rolled his eyes at Costin's blasé response, but kept the few choice words he wanted to say under lock and key. "I am not sure how long that will take. But Dimitri, you need to remain with Rose until she does wake."

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

The room was overcome with an uncomfortable silence. Dimitri desperately needed answers, but he didn't exactly know where to start or even how to ask. The last thing he wanted to do was cause any trouble and risk having the moroi man take Rose away. So he started with the easiest question he could think of.

"Who are you?" he questioned.

"I am Costin," the moroi man stated, but continued after Dimitri crossed his arms, indicating his displeasure with the short response. "I have been with Rosemarie the past four years, she calls me her guide, which I suppose is a good way of describing my role, perhaps even her guardian."

"But you're a moroi…and she's a dhampir…it's a little backwards to say you're her guardian," Lissa said as she crossed her legs under her on the large bed.

"Was a dhampir," Costin corrected.

"What do you mean, _was_ a dhampir?" Dimitri asked angrily. "What the hell did you do to her?"

"I have never harmed her," Costin said, his voice was calm as he spoke the half-truth.

With a sigh Costin began explaining what he could tell them. Right from the day Rose was taken from the academy to the moment she returned to court. Both Dimitri and Vasilisa questioned him throughout, mainly because they couldn't grasp the stories he told. None of it made sense, they had never heard of the Watchers before, they couldn't imagine Rose would make a decision that would take herself away from them, especially the Princess.

"In the end, it was her decision to make, and while she made the right one, it doesn't mean she escaped the pain of leaving her loved ones behind," Costin told them.

"Why would she willingly leave her friends?" Vasilisa asked. "The Rose I know would never have done that."

"It was the only way she could save you," Costin replied softly. "She did it for all of her friends, but the two of you especially."

"So what now?" Dimitri questioned, his heart ached and he was completely exhausted.

"We wait for Rose to wake up, and she will as long as you stay here Dimitri," Costin said, he could see the question forming in Dimitri's mind but answered it before it parted his lips. "She has to be the one to explain that to you."

Costin left Dimitri and the Princess, explaining he needed to organise some medical equipment to make sure Rose stayed hydrated while she recovered. Vasilisa sat at the end of them bed, her eyes remained on Rose, as though she was willing her to wake up. Dimitri knelt beside the bed, and held Rose's hand in his. He was relieved to feel more warmth coming from her skin, he was more content than he had ever been as he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Vasilisa asked, breaking the drawn out silence.

"Honestly, I don't know," Dimitri replied. "It all seems so crazy, yet it fits at the same time."

"Yeah," she replied as she slowly nodded her head. "I don't know what to believe."

"I think we just need to wait for Rose to wake up Prin…Lissa."

"I have another question," the Princess said with hesitation.

"You can ask anything Lissa," Dimitri said confidently.

"What made you kiss Rose?" she asked.

Dimitri thought back to what had happened, the moments before his lips had pressed against Rose's. He thought of the memories that had passed through his mind, the feelings they provoked, and how he somehow knew his kiss was the one thing that could work in saving the love of his life.

"That's a long story," he said, "and I can only tell you half of it."

Vasilisa looked as him confusedly. "What do you mean you can only tell me half of it?" she asked.

"I can only tell you my side, I never really got to asked Rose how she felt about it all," he admitted.

"You and…Rose…you were…together?" Vasilisa stuttered through her thought.

"Yes and no," he said with a sigh. "I can tell you I love her with every I am, with everything I could ever be, and I think she felt the same way about me at the time. But four years is a long time, for all I know she could be married to that Costin guy."

"I never knew," she said in a small voice.

Silence settled around them as Dimitri contemplated what he had told Vasilisa. It wasn't something he had consciously considered before the words left his mouth, but it had to be possible. She had been gone for four years, he couldn't say for sure she hadn't met someone else, fallen in love and started a life with them. His stomach plummeted at the mere thought of Rose with someone else, but he knew he would have to accept it if it were true, no matter how much it hurt.

A couple of hours later Costin returned with a doctor and several guardians carrying different pieces of equipment. Dimitri didn't move from his position next to Rose as the doctor instructed the guardians on how the equipment needed to be assembled. Within twenty minutes a constant beep filled the room as Rose's heart continued to beat, and while some might have found the constant sound annoying, it was just music to Dimitri's ears.

"Her vitals all seem stable," the doctor announced once he finished examining Rose.

"Thank you doctor," Costin said.

"She needs rest," the doctor stated. "I'll send a nurse to replace the fluids bag when required."

The doctor and Costin left the room, still in deep conversation. Dimitri ignored them though, he was just relieved that Rose seemed to be recovering, and he prayed it was enough to bring her back to him. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realise Vasilisa had been trying to talk to him.

"Dimitri?" the Princess said as she tried to gain his attention.

"Oh…sorry," he apologised. "I was just thinking."

"It's ok," she said with a small smile. "Have you got any ideas of what we'll tell the others?"

"They'll have to know she's alive," Dimitri replied once he had considered the question. "But apart from that, I have no idea."

"Think I'll go and find Christian, he's probably beside himself with worry since the attack," Vasilisa said as she stood up from the bed.

"Could you do me a favour please?" Dimitri asked before Vasilisa had left the room. She nodded in reply. "Call a guardian to meet you first, just to be safe."

"I'll call Eddie," she replied with a small smile. "Take care of her please, I'll be back soon."

Dimitri could hear the Princess talking with Eddie as she left the apartment. He could somewhat relax knowing she was in good hands, but he wouldn't be fully relaxed until Rose was awake. And he couldn't help doubt that she would actually wake up.

Costin had said she would, and the machines told him her heart was beating just fine, but she had been dead. He had felt her skin grow cold as her heart had stopped beating, and he helplessly watched as Vasilisa had tried to bring her back with magic. None of that had worked, and he was finding it incredibly hard to believe he had been the one to cause her heart to beat again.

Dimitri had come to understand the realms of spirit because of the time he spent with both Vasilisa and Adrian, but he was no spirit user. He was a dhampir who had fallen in love with a girl who he never should have, and he'd never heard of love bringing anyone back to life.

He climbed on to the bed as graceful as ever and laid on his side facing Rose. He propped his elbow up on the pillow as he moved her hair away from her eyes. Dimitri longed for her eyes to open, so he could once again become lost in their beauty. He longed for her to wake up so he could say the words that had his heart throbbing within his chest. _I missed you, I love you_, he thought as his fingers gently caressed her cheek, they tingled as they brushed over her flawless skin.

The tingle caused his mind to slip back to the day he'd be speaking with Guardian Jones outside the palace. He remembered the sensation that had spread through his body like fire but felt like heaven. He had thought he was finally losing his mind at the time, especially since the sensation that had consumed him left the further he moved away from the area. The tingle he felt when he touched Rose's skin was exactly the same. The connection was there, they were meant to be.

"Rose," Dimitri whispered, "I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to wake up." He paused as his fingers brushed along her lips. "I need to be able to tell you how much I love you, I need you to know it has always been, and will always be you that holds my heart."

The beeping from the machine spiked as Dimitri spoke into Rose's ear. He instantly took it as a sign that she had heard him, that her heart ached for him as much as his did for her. A small smile graced his lips as her eyes fluttered softly. Everything would be okay, everyone would be as it was supposed to be. Dimitri once again had hope because...

Rose was waking up.


	11. Chapter 11

WHEN THE TRUTH COMES OUT

Rose had been surrounded by darkness for what seemed like forever. It brought her comfort and relief, she actually felt more at peace than she ever had in her entire life. She embraced the darkness like the warmest arms had been wrapped around her, like the softest voice whispering words of love, comfort and wisdom in her ear.

But something was missing. No matter how safe she felt, no matter how comforting the darkness was, Rose didn't feel whole.

Her heart didn't beat as strong as it had before she found herself enclosed in the darkness, her brain had become cloudy, her judgement impaired. But how had it all happened? How had Rose become so lost for answers?

_What the hell is going on with me? _Rose thought as she turned around on the spot, searching for anything but black. _And where am I?_

She took in a deep breath as she sat down where she had been standing since she found herself there. The darkness swirled around her body just as her thoughts swirled around in her mind. She might have felt at peace, she might have felt relaxed, but her thoughts still plagued her. They weren't as forceful, they weren't begging for her attention as they once had, they patiently awaited for her acknowledgement.

She could remember exactly what had happened, she knew the choice she had made. She was okay with it though, she would have gladly done it again. In a heartbeat she would give her life for the people she loved. She had saved them, and for that reason alone she was okay with dying. She was more than okay with them living freely for the rest of their lives.

She remembered their faces as the strigoi had surrounded them. Dimitri's guardian mark had been firmly in place, but Rose could see the fear in his eyes. He had know there was no chance either of them would survive, but still he fought, refusing to show any weaknesses. Vasilisa had visibly been beside herself, Rose didn't need the bond they once shared to know the horrid river of emotions that tore through her.

Rose could still feel the remnants of her powers, they tingled within her as she sat, completely lost in thought. But the fact they were fading meant she was too. Before too long Rose would be dead, and she didn't have the will to fight it. It wasn't that she had a death wish, she didn't want to die. She simply knew that both Dimitri and Vasilisa would be better without more pain caused by her.

She wasn't lost to the fact that they would have at some stage seen what had happened, but she hoped Dimitri would have had enough sense to take the Princess away from the area as soon as the threat was gone. She prayed they hadn't seen her, and if they had, she prayed they hadn't recognised her.

It may seem selfish, but Rose was driven only by her love for her friends, her family. She was driven to protect them in any way she could. And since she had been able to do that, she just wanted them to move on with their lives, and as quickly as possible.

"Rosemarie," a soft voice called from in front of her.

Rose's head snapped to the direction she had heard the voice coming from. There stood a woman, dressed in a flowing white gown, light illuminating off her pale skin. Rose couldn't help but stare, her eyes were fixated as she watched the woman's dress and hair move with a breeze that didn't exist.

"Who are you?" Rose asked, enthralled by the mysterious woman.

"My name is Darshwana," the woman replied warmly, "and I am here to set you free."

"Set me free?" Rose questioned. "I died in place of my friends, there's nothing else that can set me free."

"That's where you're mistaken Rosemarie," Darshwana said with a small smile. "You don't belong here yet."

Rose found it easy to become lost in the woman's voice. It was kind, warm and melodic. Every word that spilled from her lips was like a song accompanied by a harp. It brought joy to Rose's heart, and it stripped away pain she hadn't realised still lingered.

"I'm going to hell aren't I?" Rose questioned as she rolled her eyes, her mind flashed back to the more questionable acts she had done throughout her life.

"Oh no my dear," Darshwana replied with a soft laugh. "You are going back to where you belong, but before you do, there are things you must know."

_Where do I belong?_ Rose questioned sadly in her mind. Did she actually belong anywhere anymore? Her mind filled with images of Dimitri. His smile, his eyes, everything she loved about him was right in front of her.

"Dimitri," Rose whispered in reply to her own question.

"Yes, Dimitri," Darshwana confirmed. "You are bonded with him Rosemarie, and it's so strong that no one could ever attempt to describe it. The bond was forged the night you gave yourselves to each other in the cabin."

"Why didn't I know about this bond before?" Rose asked. "I mean, the fatigue and everything else has to be connected with it, right, but that only just started happening."

She needed to know whether Costin had been telling her the truth or not. She didn't want to doubt him, but she had gathered that the information he had given her was second hand from someone else who had heard it from another person. She wanted Darshwana to either confirm or deny, she didn't really care either way as long as she got the truth.

"You haven't known about it before because you were not of age until you turned twenty-one," she explained. "It was on your twenty-first birthday that you first felt the fatigue, and if you are too far away from Dimitri the side effects will only get worse."

"Worse how?"

"The more you stay away from him, the worse the effects will become," Darshwana replied. "You only just made it back to court when you went to that town, the amount of time will decrease until your powers consume you to the point where you cannot be revived."

The truth slapped Rose across the face hard, but it didn't make sense given she wasn't exactly alive.

"But I'm dead now," Rose stated as she tried to hide her confusion. "That's why I'm here."

"You are most definitely not dead my dear. Dimitri's love for you provided you with the energy to survive." She paused as she watched Rose carefully. "You may not always be so lucky."

"Are you telling me Dimitri saved my life?" Rose asked incredulously, her answer was provided with a swift nod from Darshwana. "You have to be insane. Dimitri is a dhampir with no magical talents, how could he possibly have saved me?"

"It's part of the bond," Darshwana explained. "I know it must sound impossible, but if you give me a chance to explain, it will make sense to you."

Rose listened closely as Darshwana started to explain. She told Rose she had been the very first Watcher to walk the earth. A spirit wielding moroi had brought her from spirit to earth with their power. The spirit user had provided her with the power of magic, strength and speed so she could defend the world against strigoi. Ever since the earth has been graced with at least one Watcher at all times, before one passed to the other side another would be trained and ready to take their place.

"So I was never a dhampir?" Rose asked once a little of the shock has worn off.

"You were born a dhampir, just as all of the Watchers since me have been, Darshwana explained. "It is a difficult and lengthy process to explain, but as you are aware you experienced a lot of changes as you transitioned. You aren't a dhampir now, nor are you human or moroi, you are one of a kind."

"So what am I then?" Rose asked, her tone almost pleading as she searched for the answers she desperately needed. "One of a kind just doesn't explain it enough for me sorry."

"You're a Watcher Rosemarie, there is not better explanation for it." She paused, and Rose could see she was trying to find the right words so Rose could understand. "I guess the best way for you to look at it is that you're a guardian for the earth, instead of having a moroi for a charge, the earth and all who live there are is your charge."

"Is it possible to get a headache wherever we are?" Rose questioned. "Cause I'm pretty sure my brain is going into overload."

"I know it's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry for that," Darshwana said. "But the main thing is I need you to promise me you won't ever stray too far away from Dimitri."

"I was taken without a chance to say goodbye, they all think I'm dead, how can he forgive that? He won't want to be anywhere near me." Rose argued.

"Are you sure about that Rosemarie?" she asked as she turned away from Rose. "Look straight ahead."

"I can't see anything but you and the darkness," Rose stated.

"You need to look harder Rosemarie, you can see it. In your mind, focus on Dimitri."

Rose followed Darshwana's instructions and focused on Dimitri. She easily pictured him in her mind, his face, his height, his posture. Within seconds the darkness began to shift and a room appeared. She recognised the room instantly, it was her accommodation while she had been staying at court.

A strange sensation passed over Rose as she realised it was her body laying on the bed. Sure she'd seen her reflection in the mirror a million times, but seeing her actual body laying unmoving was something completely different. Dimitri laid beside her, brushing hair away from her face. Rose watched his gentle movements, and her heart ached. It ached for him, it ached for them.

"Rose," Dimitri whispered, "I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to wake up." He paused as his fingers brushed along her lips. "I need to be able to tell you how much I love you. I need you to know it has always been, and will always be you that holds my heart."

Rose lifted her own fingers to her lips as she felt the tingle left by his touch. Their connection was as strong as ever, and she couldn't deny his love. He might have been hurt by the four years of separation they'd endured, but she knew without a doubt that she needed him, and he needed her.

"It's time for you to go back now Rosemarie," Darshwana said softly.

"Will I see you again?" Rose asked as she turned to face her.

"I will be guiding you from now one," Darshwana replied with a smile. "The others have stepped too far out of time this time."

"But what about Costin?"

"He will always be with you too."

As Darshwana's words finished Rose started to fall. Her body flipped and spun as she hurtled through the darkness. Fear rose within her as she wondered if Darshwana mean she was returning to her body, or going somewhere else completely.

Her eyes fluttered softly as a continuous beep filled the room. It had accelerated from when she had been watching Dimitri and herself, but the annoying sound isn't what held her attention. As she inhaled, Dimitri's aftershave filled her senses. It was exactly as she remembered it. Slowly she opened her eyes and was greeted by the more beautiful thing she had ever seen. Dimitri was smiling down on her.

"Dimitri," she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too my Roza," he replied before pressing his lips to hers.


	12. Chapter 12

RECONNECTION

"I'm really sorry Dimitri," Rose apologised for the millionth time.

"There is nothing to be sorry for," Dimitri replied yet again. "From what you and Costin have said, you had no say in what happened."

"But…" Rose started but was cut off as Dimitri's lips pressed against hers.

It had taken a while for Rose to be able to sit up on the bed, and even after she'd been sitting for a while she still felt dizzy and weak. Dimitri had filled her in on the kiss of life he had delivered, and what had happened since then. Costin was nowhere to be seen, but Rose knew he'd return soon enough. And for the moment she was more than content to be alone with Dimitri.

His presence ensured she continued to regain her strength, but that wasn't the only reason she wanted him there. She had missed him since she'd been taken, and all of her unanswered questions were finally being answered. She had never known whether the time they'd spent in the cabin had meant as much to him as it had her. She had never known if he'd loved her, if he'd moved on with someone else, or if her missed her as much as she'd missed him. But slowly those questions and many more were being answered.

"Did you think about me often?" Dimitri asked, breaking Rose out of her trance.

"Honestly?" she asked. Dimitri nodded in reply. "In the first few months all I did was think about you, to the point where I couldn't concentrate on anything else. After that though, I tried not to, I couldn't handle the pain anymore, and since I was never going to see you again, I tried to get over you."

Rose's answer was truthful, but it hurt her having to admit it. Over the years she had buried so many thoughts and emotions, and the majority of them were directly related to Dimitri.

"It never happened though," she added.

"What never happened?" he asked, his accent thick with emotion, the accent Rose had missed dearly.

"I never got over you," she replied as her fingers made the infinity symbol on his arm. "I had to push it to the back of my mind, otherwise I could have become distracted during a fight, but I still loved you just as much, if not more, every day."

They sat in silence, but with them it was never awkward. Rose bathed in the warmth of his skin against hers, the scent of his cologne, the sensation caused when he touched her. She could have stayed that way the rest of her life and been completely at peace. All she needed was right next to her, she just didn't know how everything else would play out. Could she really risk Dimitri being a part of her life when it was so dangerous.

"Do you think we're bonded?" Dimitri asked as he gazed down at her.

"Yeah, I do," she replied. "I didn't believe it at first, Costin wore the brunt of my refusal to accept it. But it explains so much really."

"So you won't leave again?" Dimitri pushed, his eyes fixed on her face.

"I wish I could tell you that I'll stay," Rose said softly. "It's just not that easy. I'm the Watcher, and with that comes responsibilities I can't ignore. But I also can't put you in that position. The strigoi I deal with most of the time…they're the worst of the worst."

"But you need to be with me, otherwise you'll die Roza," he pleaded. "I can't lose you again."

"I don't know what to do," Rose admitted. "It's either I'm risking your life or mine, and if you want honesty, I'd choose to die over you any day."

Rose struggled to calm her mind as thoughts sped rapidly around inside. Of course she wanted to stay with Dimitri, she wanted to stay with all of her friends. But was it really possible? Could she run her Watcher duties from court? It didn't seem feasible since there were next to no strigoi around before the attack, and with any luck they would stay well away for a long time after the attack. Could she really ask Dimitri to travel everywhere with her? The very simple answer to that question was no. She knew Dimitri lived to be a guardian, it was his life and he honoured it to no end. She couldn't expect him to up and leave just for her.

She was stuck. There didn't seem to be any middle ground in the mine field that had been created. As much as she loved having Dimitri right next to her, she couldn't help but wish they'd never found her. If she'd managed to keep her distance from them, then her leaving wouldn't have been such a horrible thing. Even if it did mean she died, they would never have known the difference.

"I won't let you die Roza," Dimitri said as he swept some hair away from her eyes. "I lived for four years thinking you were dead, and they were the hardest years of my life."

"I wish you never had to go through that Dimitri," Rose said as she looked into his eyes. "But as you saw during the attack, my powers can grow so strong they consume me. It's no sure thing I'll live until I'm old and wrinkly anyway."

Dimitri didn't respond as he considered what Rose had said. Rose took the time to really look at the man she had freely given her heart to. His eyes were the colour she remembered, but they were haunted by the pain of losing her. His hair was tied at the nape of his neck, and she could clearly see his molnija marks, he had gained a number of them since she had last seen him. Her fingers lightly traced the marks as Dimitri asked his next question.

"It was you on the plane wasn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, it was," Rose admitted. "The Queen had told Costin we were going to travel alone."

"You knew I was there, why did you keep hiding from me?" he asked with pain lacing his voice.

"As stupid as it may sound, I did it for you and everyone else," Rose said. "I didn't want to cause any more pain, especially since I wasn't meant to be staying here after the attack."

Silence fell again as Rose's words settled over both of them. Her heart ached with the pain that had been caused with her disappearance. It hadn't been her choice to leave, but she still felt responsible. She still carried the pain that had been caused to the ones she loved on her shoulders. How could she not?

"You say I don't need to apologise Dimitri," Rose stated, "but I do. You and everyone else I love were caused pain because of me, and I'm so sorry for that."

"And I forgive you Roza," Dimitri said as his kissed the top of her head. "And I'm more than sure everyone else will as well."

"Where's Lissa?" Rose asked, feeling slightly guilty for not asking before.

"She went to find Christian," Dimitri replied. "She didn't want him to panic that he couldn't find her after the attack."

"The attack the Queen caused," Rose muttered in distaste.

"Huh?" Dimitri asked.

"It's a long story," Rose said as she moved closer to Dimitri. "I just want this moment for us, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," Dimitri said as his lips widened into the type of smile that had always melted Rose's heart.

Dimitri wrapped his arms around Rose and pulled her closer to him. She sighed contently as she laid her head on his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart. She pushed her thoughts of leaving out of her mind, there would be time to deal with those later, in that moment all she wanted to do was bathe in the feelings brought by having Dimitri so close.

Rose's breathing and thoughts relaxed as she continued listening to his heartbeat. Blissfully she saw them growing old together, raising children – whether adopted or their own – and living their lives happily with each other. With these thoughts in mind Rose drifted off to sleep, content and happy for the first time in four years.

~:~:~:~:~

"Dimitri?" Rose asked in a panic.

She'd fallen asleep on his chest, but he was gone. Fear rose inside her as her thoughts laughed and taunted her, telling her it had all just been a dream. A nightmare would have been a more fitting way to describe it really. Her heart was pounding, her breaths short and rapid as her heart began to break all over again. The loss she felt was indescribable.

"Dimitri," she called out again, forcing her voice to be louder.

A shaky breath left her lungs as Dimitri appeared in the doorway. Worry creased his face as he looked at Rose and searched the room for any danger.

"Sorry," Rose said once she was sure her voice wouldn't falter. "I thought you'd left."

She couldn't bring herself to tell him she thought she might have dreamt him being there with her. Sure it may sound strange, but it she wasn't willing to discuss her insecurities. The four years she'd been gone Rose had learnt not to show anyone any weakness, not even those who were close to her. And after four years, that habit was going to be a hard one to break.

"We didn't want to disturb you, so we were talking in the living room," Dimitri explained softly.

"Who's here?" Rose enquired, she felt slightly nervous as she considered the possibilities.

"Everyone," Dimitri replied as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Vasilisa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie, Mia, your mum and Costin."

"Oh." It was all Rose could manage as a response.

"How are you feeling?" Dimitri asked.

"A little better now," Rose replied as her mind raced. "Think a shower would help though."

Rose was avoiding the onslaught of hugs and questions, and she was sure Dimitri knew that, but he didn't deny her the chance to freshen up. He helped her out of bed and walked with her to the bathroom door, but stopped there. Rose was thankful, she wanted the time alone to prepare herself. Apart from Costin, she hadn't seen the ones gathered in the lounge area for four years. And the one she was most concerned about was her mother.

The stream of hot water hit Rose's skin causing her to wince from the pain. Once again cuts and bruises littered her skin and her muscles ached. But still she stood under the steady stream, unwilling to face the music of her friends and family. Her forehead was pressed against the cold tiles, her elbows too pressed against the tiles holding her weight, the lines of grout cut into her skin. The hot water pounded against her back as her mind took her to the last memories she held her friends and mother.

Her eyes burned with tears as Rose considered her options. There weren't many to choose from, but they were just as equally painful. She could walk out into the lounge room and get the reunion over with, or she could run. Running meant she would have to leave Dimitri, but it meant minimal pain being dealt to the ones she loved as well as herself. And who knew just how much pain would be caused it Rose did face them.

Could any of them really understand anything Rose would be able to tell them?

Rose was doubtful they would understand. Not necessarily from a lack of trying, but for the fact so much had changed. The Rose they knew didn't really exist anymore. Not even Rose knew who she was. Darshwana had told her she wasn't dhampir anymore, she wasn't human or moroi either, so what did that leave her being? A freak of nature, nothing like her friends would remember her as.

Sure she'd been able to face Dimitri, but his words before she had woken up had shown he still loved her. And even with that love, there was still a million uncertainties they had to deal with. Would her friends be able to put Rose's differences to one side and accept who she had become?

The girl her friends, and even her mother, would remember was reckless, carefree, fun. Rose knew those things had left her as soon as the transformation had been complete. The last time Rose could remember laughing was when Costin had told her they were going to court, and that was only because she thought he was joking, and in reality shock also played into it.

Rose stepped out of the shower and slowly dried herself off. Once she had the towel secured around her body she wiped the steam off the mirror and starred at herself. The physical changes since the transformation would be enough for her friends to have to deal with on their own. She sighed heavily as the conflict continued in her mind.

"Roza," Dimitri breathed as she stepped out of the bathroom.

"Have you been waiting the whole time?" she asked as she walked over to the bed where he was sitting.

"I came back in here after I asked everyone to give you some more time," he replied.

"You asked them all to leave?"

"You weren't ready Roza," he explained.

Rose took in a deep breath, which came out shaky as her nerves fought to settle. "Thank you," she said as she stood in front of him and moved his hair away from his face.

"I would do anything for you my Roza," he said as he gazed up at her.

Rose's lips met his with love and passion. Dimitri's arms tightened around her waist, pulling her to him until she was straddling his legs. Their lips continued in a sensual rhythm, as their hands wandered over each others bodies. Rose became lost in the taste of his lips, the touch of his skin, and the tingling sensation his fingertip left across her skin.

"Dimitri," she moaned against his lips.

A low growl emanated from Dimitri's chest in reply as Dimitri unwound the towel that covered her body. His hands moved down her sides and fastened around her hips. In one swift movement he laid her on her back across the bed, his body hovering so close to her skin.

Rose pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room as her eyes laid hungrily on Dimitri's chest. His well chiselled abs greeted her fingertips warmly as she traced each contour until they found their way to his belt.

"Are you sure about this Roza?" Dimitri whispered close to her ear.

"More than anything," she replied as her lips nipped at his earlobe.

Within moments Dimitri's jeans were on the floor and his body rested against hers. He looked into her eyes, searching for hesitation, fear, anything that would cause him to stop. But all he found was her complete love and trust in him. He slowly thrust inside of her and they immediately became as one.

Dimitri's movements were slow, passionate and needful all in one. They each relished in the raw emotion that flowed between them, each of them fulfilled in more ways than could be expressed in words. There was no longing to be closer, there was nothing to rush. Their movements perfectly matched, their bodies aligned, there was nothing else in the world that mattered in that moment.

Rose laid on top of Dimitri as their breathing slowed and their hearts beat in rhythmic harmony. If she thought she'd felt content in Dimitri's presence before she was wrong, after what they had just shared nothing could cause her to feel more at peace. Her hand moved to where his heart was beating steady and strong.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly.

"That's something I should be asking you," he murmured against her hair. "But if you really want to know, I'm more than okay."

"Me too," she replied as her breathing became steady and relaxed.

"You know you have to see everyone else soon though," Dimitri said as his fingers moved up and down her spine. "Vasilisa is almost going crazy with not seeing you."

"I know," Rose said with a sigh. "But right now, I just need you."

Dimitri slipped his fingers under Rose's chin and guided her lips to his. No words were spoken the rest of the night as they continued to explore each other, their needs and wants fulfilled over and over.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter, between weddings, exams and getting ready to move I wrote and rewrote this chapter at least 3 times trying to get it how I wanted it. Hope you all enjoy.

REUNION

It had been two days since the attack on court, and while those two days had been blissful for the fact that she'd spent them with Dimitri, Rose couldn't help but feel uneasy. She had been avoiding her friends like the plague, but that was only because of the anxiety that bubbled to the surface as soon as she thought about seeing them. Her chest would tighten to the point of pain, her throat felt like it would continue swelling until she could no longer breathe, and her heartbeat was rapid and out of rhythm.

She had tried to talk to Dimitri about it, but it was a weakness, and when she opened her mouth to tell him what was happening something entirely different came out. It infuriated her to no end. Rose trusted Dimitri without any doubt, but she had pretty much brainwashed herself to the extent where everything and everyone was a potential threat and her weaknesses couldn't show. She had absolutely no idea how to reverse it either.

She had also tried convincing herself that if she would just see Lissa then she could talk about it with her, they would be able to find a solution together like they always had before Rose was taken. But that line of reasoning only sent her running to the bathroom with a strong feeling that she was about to throw up.

And Rose knew the longer she avoided her friends, the worse things would get. The claustrophobia she was already feeling was almost too much to bear.

Dimitri had barely left Rose's side since she had woken up. He had only left the apartment once, and it had been for less than an hour so he could organise a replacement guardian for a couple of weeks – which Rose strongly argued, but she really had no say in the matter – and to get some clothes for while he stayed with her. Funnily enough Rose didn't feel smothered by Dimitri constantly being there like she expected she would. She'd lived alone for so long she thought she'd be close to breaking point after a few hours of him being there, but she actually missed him when he wasn't near her.

Rose knew Dimitri was worried about her. He didn't know exactly what was bothering her, but since she kept avoiding her friends, he strongly considered the possibility that she might have been thinking about leaving again. Rose had tried to hide the fact there was anything wrong, but Dimitri knew her too well. Even after four years of separation he knew when something wasn't right, he just wasn't sure how to get her to open up.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Dimitri asked as he snaked his arms around Rose's waist from behind.

"I was thinking the same as yesterday," Rose replied as she turned around in his arms so she could face him.

"You can't stay locked away in here forever Roza," he said, his voice was more in the tone of her mentor than her lover and it was laced with concern.

_Lover_, Rose considered. She had never exactly considered what she should refer to him as in that context. The term 'Lover' made her think of secret affairs, which is kind of what they'd been having ever since they first admitted their feelings to each other. And they had been hiding out for two days, so perhaps lover was the best term. But it made her feel dirty in a way. She wasn't embarrassed by her feelings towards Dimitri, or their relationship, and if she hadn't been hiding out in her room she would have gladly shouted it from their rooftops.

And while dhampir relationships with other dhampirs was seriously frowned upon, Rose couldn't have cared less what the Queen thought.

She sighed internally, not only at the debate going on within her mind as to whether Dimitri was only a lover or if he was more, but also because she knew he was right. How long could she really stay locked away in the room for? Cabin fever had started to kick in – not that Rose would have ever willingly admitted to that – and the chances of her going completely stir crazy were extremely high if she remained in there much longer.

"You're right," she admitted. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"We could go for a walk around court," he suggested. "Grab a bite to eat at a café. There's this one café that makes the best chocolate doughnuts."

It was obvious that those who knew Rose knew the best way to bribe her into doing something was to use doughnuts. She might have been annoyed with Dimitri's methods of persuasion if she hadn't found herself longing for a decent doughnut. Sure it might have sounded strange, but four years without a decent doughnut was enough for Rose to consider leaving the safe confines of her apartment to venture out.

"Okay, sounds good," Rose said, much to Dimitri's surprise.

~:~:~:~:~

The night air was cool, but not uncomfortable as they walked. Rose clung tightly to Dimitri's hand as they walked through the near empty streets of court. She felt uncomfortable being where people could see her, even with her trusted hoodie secured to her body and the hood pulled tightly over her head. If Dimitri hadn't been by her side holding her hand equally as tight she more than likely would have fled back to her apartment.

"It's so quiet," Rose said as they continued walking.

"The attack have a lot of the moroi scared," Dimitri offered in response. "Court was meant to be a safe haven."

"And it should have been." Rose's voice was full of venom. "You know I told her to evacuate court?"

"What?" Dimitri questioned, his surprise evident in his tone.

"I confirmed there was going to be an attack on court and told the Queen she needed to start evacuating court to minimise casualties."

"And she didn't do it?"

"No," Rose replied. "Her precious ball was more important than the lives of her people."

"Wow," he muttered in disbelief.

"She has blood on her hands."

Silence fell again as they continued walking. It was around noon for the moroi but businesses were locked up tight, signs apologised for any inconvenience, and there were no dates for re-opening. A shiver cursed down Rose's spine as she considered the possibility that the people who owned and worked in the stores had lost someone during the attack.

"Is this café even going to be open?" Rose wondered out loud.

"It should be," Dimitri replied. "I haven't known it to be closed at any time, not even Christmas."

A few moroi passed Rose and Dimitri, their eyes flicking to their enclosed hands, though there was no look of disgust as Rose had expected there to be. It left her dumbfounded since it was well known that dhampir relationships were frowned upon, especially when the relationship was with another dhampir. The look was more like amazement. But then the truth hit her, smacking her in the face like a tonne of bricks.

"How different do I look?" Rose asked as she looked up at Dimitri, she wanted to know whether he answer was the truth.

"To me, you are no different," he said. "But that's not what you're asking are you?"

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "Do I still look like a dhampir?"

"You don't," he said. "But you also don't look moroi or human."

"So I look like a freak?" Rose concluded with a slight laugh.

"You are beautiful Roza, and there is definitely no freak that I can see."

"Perhaps we should look at getting you some glasses then." She laughed as she nudged him with his elbow.

Dimitri's laugh was music to her ears. Seeing him so blissfully happy was everything she had ever wanted to see and more. It was something Rose had given up on about a year after she had left the academy, and in a lot of ways it seemed surreal to have it all back. She kept waiting to wake up and find it had all been a cruel nightmare.

They rounded the corner and a café came into sight. Rose could see an open sign flashing in the window and tables and chairs were set up on the sidewalk. Red and white striped awnings hung over the windows, and the bricks looked old and warn. The outside of the café reminded Rose of the ones she had seen in Paris, quaint, warm and welcoming.

"Roza," Dimitri said as he pulled her to a stop just outside. "I need you to know that I love you and only ever want what's best for you."

"Huh?" Rose muttered as she looked confusedly as him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that sometimes things are like a bandaid, you need to rip it off to prevent it hurting for longer than it should."

"What did you do?" Rose questioned, her voice hushed as she tried to keep her anxiety caged.

Dimitri didn't answer her though, he simply held her hand tighter and started walking to the door. Rose tried to dig her heels in to stop him and demand he tell her what was going on, but without using her watcher strength that wasn't going to happen. And who knew how things could end if she did unleash that strength on him.

A bell chimed as Dimitri opened the red door. He stepped in and pulled a pissed off Rose in with him. The bell chimed again as the door closed, but Rose barely heard it, her concentration was focused only on the group of people sitting towards the back of the café.

_All along it was just an ambush_, Rose thought angrily, _he didn't just want to spend time with me_.

Her anger continued to boil inside as she watched the group chat and laugh. They hadn't seen Rose arrive, and Rose wanted to use that to her advantage and run while she still could. The only problem was that Dimitri was holding on tightly to her hand still, and when she tried to pull it away he only held tighter.

She kept watching her friends as her and Dimitri stood near the door, and surprisingly her anger began to dissipate, being replaced by the love she felt for those gathered at the table.

"Why did you do this?" Rose asked Dimitri as mixed emotions continued to swirl around inside her.

"Because I know how much you love them, and how much they love you," Dimitri replied softly. "I don't know why you've been avoiding them, but you needed to see them as much as they've needed to see you."

"Thank you," she whispered.

Dimitri and Rose walked towards the crowded table, their hands still entwined, Rose stood as close to him as possible without tripping him over. Beside Dimitri she felt stronger, and even though she knew everyone there, she still felt uneasy.

Lissa was the first to see Rose. It was the first time Rose had seen her best friend in years, and while there were a few small differences, she still looked like the girl Rose loved like a sister. Lissa's lips pulled effortlessly into a smile as she looked at Rose, however, Rose's smile took a lot more effort. It wasn't that she wasn't happy to see the Princess, because she was, it was just that the anxiety still swirling around inside her made her want to do anything but smile.

Lissa pushed herself away from the table and in mere seconds had her arms wrapped tightly around Rose's neck. Rose let out an unsteady breath as she held Lissa awkwardly with her free arm – the other was firmly in Dimitri's hand, holding on tight enough to almost cut off the blood supply to his fingers. Lissa began to sob softly as they stood there, and by that time they had become the centre of attention of everyone at the table.

"It's okay Lissa," Rose soothed as she softly rubbed the moroi's back.

"Oh God Rose, I missed you so much," Lissa sobbed as her tears began to penetrate the material of Rose's hoodie.

"I missed you too Liss," Rose replied honestly, even though her voice was strained the sentiment was still there.

"I can't believe you're actually here," Lissa sobbed again.

Rose knew Lissa was trying to pull herself together, and until she had she wouldn't let go of her. So Rose did her best to soothe her best friend. Rose didn't know where their friendship stood anymore. For all she knew four years away had been too long for them to regain what they'd once shared, especially since they no longer shared the bond. That's the main thing Rose had been agonising over for two days, and not just with Lissa, but with all of her friends.

It took several minutes for Lissa to stop sobbing, and as she slowly pulled away from Rose she swiped away the tears that had fallen. Rose looked over Lissa as Lissa looked over Rose, each of them taking in the others differences. Lissa's face had become finer with the years, she looked more mature, stood straighter and dressed more regal. But overall she still looked like Lissa, and Rose was sure the same couldn't be said to her.

"I can't believe you're actually here," Lissa repeated, this time her voice was clear though the words brought tears back to her eyes.

"I'm here," Rose confirmed and she pulled Lissa back into a hug, this time using both arms to hold her.

In Rose's mind she was taken back to all the times over the four years that she had longed for her best friend. The things she needed Lissa for, to talk about, to whine about, but she had never been there. So Rose took that moment to express everything she had missed through the hug. Rose had never been big on sentiment, but with Lissa everything was always different.

The two held each other for as long as they both needed, and when they finally released each other Rose's smile – while still a little strained – was slightly bigger.

"I'm sorry," Rose said to Lissa. "I never wanted to leave you."

"I know," Lissa replied. "But we have plenty of time for that. Right?"

"Right," Rose confirmed.

Rose felt Dimitri relax beside her with the confirmation she had just made. It was then she realised how Dimitri might have taken her avoidance of her friends. She looked up and him and smiled softly, willing him to know she had no plans of leaving in the immediate future.

The three of them walked to the table. Rose sat between Lissa and Dimitri, her hands held theirs as the onslaught of questions began around the table. Rose struggled to remember how to breathe as the torrent of questions continued and the anxiety that had finally settled began to rear is ugly head again.

"Guys, stop," Lissa said, her voice commanding with the slightest hint of compulsion.

To Rose's relief they listened and she stopped being bombarded by questions. She released the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding and looked around the table. Everyone was there, Eddie, Mia, Adrian, Christian, Rose's mother, and all of their eyes were on here, waiting for something. _Probably to see if I'm going to break_, Rose thought.

Rose knew they were waiting for her to say something, anything, but she couldn't think of a single word. She would have loved to say something witty, funny, or even sincere, but absolutely nothing came to mind. What could she say to make everything okay? Would anything ever be okay?

Dimitri squeezed her hand slightly, telling her everything she already knew but needed to hear – or feel – in that one gesture. Her eyes met his, and she knew everything would be okay, as long as he was by her side and she had her friends, everything would be okay.

"How are you Rose?" Mia asked softly.

Mia and Rose had only really just become friends before she'd been taken. The events that led to that friendship forming had never strayed far from Rose's mind, she only wished she'd gotten to know Mia more before she left. If she had maybe the slight bitterness she still felt for the petite moroi wouldn't have still lingered. However, Rose gathered if Mia had been invited to the gathering, Lissa must have formed a friendship with her along the way.

"A little overwhelmed," Rose said with a shaky laugh. "And let me tell you, I'm not accustomed to that feeling at all."

A slight laugh from those gathered filled the air, but it didn't last long and settled into an awkward silence.

"What happened?" Christian asked, preventing the silence from becoming too uncomfortable.

"You don't have to answer that," Lissa whispered.

"Yeah, I do," Rose replied in a whisper. "You all deserve to know what happened, and you'll find out sooner or later and I'd prefer if it came from me."

Rose started right from the beginning, filling in the details of her disappearance that they had never known. She stressed the fact that she'd never had any say in what happened, and the months after she disappeared, she was led to believe she could never return home. She explained what had happened during the transformation, how she was no longer a dhampir, and her new role as the Watcher. She wanted to tell them about her powers, but decided to leave that part out as she didn't want to overload them.

"You can't be serious," Christian muttered, his scepticism plain in his tone. "You honestly expect us to believe this rubbish?"

"I would love for you to believe it since it's the truth," Rose replied, speaking in a rush before Lissa could come to her defence. "I know it sounds insane, but would you like a demonstration?"

The last thing she wanted to do was to use any power, especially since her powers had drained her to death only a few days before, but if it was going to bring Christian to see the truth, then it was a risk she was willing to take. And so much for her deciding not to disclose what she could do.

"A demonstration of what exactly?" Christian questioned, his sarcasm dripped of each of his words like poison, but it didn't faze Rose in the slightest. "How can you demonstrate that you're no longer a dhampir as you claim?"

"Just watch," she replied as she pulled her hand free from Dimitri's.

"Please be careful Roza," Dimitri said.

Rose nodded at Dimitri's plea as she began to concentrate her energy on what she wanted to do. Using her powers when strigoi or other dangers were present was easy, but without that it took more concentration. Costin had taught her how to do it, but it had been at least three years since she had even tried. In her mind she envisioned the flames igniting in her palm and remaining there, not burning anything but the air just above her skin. She closed her eyes and willed the flames into being. She knew she had succeeded when a series of gasps filled her ears.

"What the hell?" Christian exclaimed in horror. "That's not possible."

"You're not the only one who can wield fire now," Rose said calmly. "Perhaps now what I've told you doesn't sound so much like rubbish."

Rose had shocked Christian into silence, as well the others who had gathered to see her again. Even though Lissa and Dimitri knew about her powers they had been awed by seeing the flame ignite in her hand.

Once the shock had worn off the questions started again – at a much slower pace – and Rose answered each of them. The longer she was with her friends the more comfortable Rose became, and while it didn't feel like it would have four years before, it was still better than she had expected.

She was surprised, however, at the way Adrian was acting. Rose had only met him on the fateful trip the ski lodge, and she instantly disliked his womanising ways. Nearly everything that had come out of his mouth was a come on. But as he sat at the table in the café that was empty apart from them, he was warm and friendly, and nothing that came out of his mouth seemed like his was trying to pick her up at a bar.

Eddie was very much like he had always been. When he had first seen Rose she saw tears welling in his eyes, but the smile on his face told her just how happy he was to see her. He was stoic, and Rose could tell he considered his job an honour and took it extremely seriously. She was thankful for that fact since he was one of the guardians in charge of protecting Lissa.

Eventually Christian began to soften, but only slightly. He asked a few questions here and there, and Rose tried to ignore the tone of his voice, but she didn't do very well with that. On top of Christian's attitude, Rose was also concerned about how her mother was coping with the fact that her only child had just come back from the dead. She hadn't said a word since Rose had arrived, she simply sat there staring at her until she announced she needed to leave.

"So what's happening with all of you?" Rose asked as the questioning died down.

"Well," Mia started before stealing a glance at Adrian to which he nodded.

"Aww, don't keep me in suspense," Rose said with an over-exaggerated whine.

"Adrian and I are expecting our first child in a few months," Mia announced.

"Really?" Rose asked slightly shocked. She had never imagined them as a couple before. "That's great guys, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks Rose," Mia said as she smiled happily.

Lissa and Mia instantly starting talking babies and Rose leaned back in her chair as they talked names, clothes and anything else baby. She finally felt relaxed and was questioning herself as to why she had avoided her friends to begin with. Apart from Christian's attitude and her mother's lack of talking the day had gone well.

The reunion was soon interrupted by two of the Queens guardians. They promptly approached the table, their uniforms freshly pressed, their faces blank.

"Princess Dragomir," they said in unison as they bowed their heads – also in unison. "Miss Hathaway, the Queen has requested to see you tomorrow morning."

Rose looked at the two guardians and simply nodded. They turned and walked away without another word, leaving the table silenced by their abrupt arrival and departure.

"What was that all about?" Christian asked once the guardians had left the café.

"I have no idea," Rose said, but it was a lie, she was pretty sure she knew exactly what the Queen wanted.


	14. Chapter 14

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Rose had a restless night sleep in anticipation of her meeting with the Queen. She was sure the bitch was going to gloat about how well the attack had been handled, and Rose wasn't sure what the best way to tackle the situation would be. She could go in there, all guns blazing, throwing around countless accusations which would only land on deaf ears. Or she could choose to take a more stealthy approach.

No matter how many times she thought about it, she couldn't decide, and without the decision being made, there was very little sleep to be had. Dimitri slept soundly beside her and she tossed and turned in bed, staring at the ceiling and walls as her mind went in a constant loop of the same thoughts. Could Rose really let the Queen get away with what she had caused?

The number of fatalities from the attack had finally been released, and that had only angered and sickened Rose more. Dimitri had had the moroi news on earlier in the night when the figures had been broadcasted. Well over a hundred moroi and dhampir had been killed in the attack, with many others injured. While Dimitri had been left shocked by the numbers, Rose had been left thirsting for revenge on the woman who had caused it.

Rose strongly believed if the Queen had begun evacuating court when Rose had advised her to do so the number of fatalities and injured would have been significantly lower. This fact alone angered Rose to the point where she was bound to break, and with the impending meeting, her anger was sure to intensify.

Rose drifted off to unconsciousness just as the sun was starting to set. Images of the attack filled her mind, just as they had since it had occurred. Screams of terror filler her mind as moroi and dhampir fell unmoving to the ground, blood stained the streets and paths as the lifeless bodies continued to fall. But there was always one image that haunted Rose the most, seeing Dimitri and Vasilisa with no way out.

The nightmares soon faded, and Rose found herself in an opulent room. Darshwana was sitting at a large dinning table, and once again Rose was taken in by the energy that radiated off the woman. She wore the same flowing gown, and light still illuminated from her skin. She was beautiful, beyond compare to any earthly beauty Rose had seen.

Darshwana smiled warmly as Rose walked towards her. It was the kind of smile Rose had wished for a long time she would see from her mother, but that had never happened, and she had long given up on it ever happening.

"Rose, it's good to see you again," Darshwana said as she embraced Rose in a warm hug. "You need to stop worrying about the attack, everything happened as it was supposed to."

"It's hard not to worry when so many people died," Rose said with a sigh.

"When you let go of your guilt, your nightmares will let go of you," Darshwana advised. "Now let's talk about why I am here, your meeting with the Queen is in the morning, and you will need some guidance."

"Okay," Rose replied, curious as to what Darshwana would be wanting her to do.

"I know you've been weighing up your options on how to handle the situation," Darshwana started. "But you need to realise you no longer need to handles these types of situations alone now. You have me to talk to about them, and I won't leave you in the dark like the others have all this time. You just need to call me, and I will come to you."

"Okay," Rose muttered. "So how should I handle the meeting with the Queen? I know anything I say against her to her will fall on deaf ears."

"Yes it will, because as far as Tatiana sees it, she can do no wrong," Darshwana said with slight distaste in her voice. "There will be a time and place presented to you in the meeting, you will know it as soon as it is voiced. That is where you will make your case against the Queen." Darshwana paused, contemplating her next words. "It is important that you remain tight lipped during the meeting Rose, if the Queen suspects you are going to go against her then she will destroy you first."

"That should be easy…not."

"Take Dimitri with you," Darshwana said with a small smile. "He always brings out the best in you, and he will relax your mind when needed."

"Okay, I will try to keep my concerns to myself," Rose said, though she wasn't entirely convinced.

"I know it won't be easy Rose, but it is required. Remember you are stronger than you will ever know, and I don't just mean physically."

The last few words faded as did the room Rose had been standing in. She woke with a start, back in her bed, the only difference was Dimitri was no longer sleeping beside her. She couldn't hear the shower running, nor could she hear him in the living area. She sat up slightly puzzled by his disappearance, however that quickly dispersed when she saw a note laying on top of his pillow.

_Gone to get us some breakfast, love forever, your Dimitri._

Rose couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips as she got out of bed and headed for the shower. She wasn't sure what she had done to be deserving of Dimitri's love, but she knew without a doubt she would continue doing it as long as she had him in her life.

She stepped under the steaming hot water and instantly her muscles began to unknot. Rose relaxed against the wall as the water cascaded down her body, her mind was still swimming with anticipation. Her brief encounter with Darshwana had helped her in some ways, but it had also raised more questions, for which she had no answers.

With a sigh Rose washed her hair and body before pulling herself away from the warmth and comfort of the shower. She had dried her hair and was finishing getting ready when Dimitri returned. The smell of fresh baked pastries filled her nose as she walked out of the bedroom.

"Good morning Roza," Dimitri said softly as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Good morning," Rose replied as she nestled her head against his chest.

He smelt intoxicating, but the unwelcoming rumble emanating from her stomach told her she required food, no matter how enticing the other form of nourishment might have been. She stepped back slightly and looked up at the Russian God. A small smile formed on her lips, and for just a moment she was able to forget about the impending meeting.

"Let's eat," Dimitri said as he softly kissed her cheek.

When Dimitri had said he was getting breakfast, Rose hadn't expected a smorgasbord of food to return with him. There was fresh, hot croissants, bacon, eggs, pancakes and fruit, all laid out on the table. Her slight disappointment disappeared as Dimitri walked back to the table with a plate of doughnuts. Of course he wouldn't forget those.

"Are you ready for the meeting?" Dimitri asked as they ate.

"As ready as I'll ever be I guess," Rose replied before biting her doughnut.

"So what's the plan?"

"What do you mean?" Rose asked, slightly thrown by his question.

"Well, from what you've told me, you want to see that the Queen pays for what she has done," he explained. "How are you going to do that?"

Rose reflected on her talk with Darshwana. She had been told the meeting wasn't the time or place to confront the Queen, but an opportunity would present itself. While the crypticness of the message annoyed her, Rose knew she could trust Darshwana to lead her in the right direction.

"I'll bide my time," Rose answered simply, but then remembered another part of what Darshwana had said. "Will you come?"

"Of course."

~:~:~:~:~

Rose and Dimitri walked towards the palace, her hand firmly in his. They were both silent since they had left Rose's accommodation suite, but talk had never been of need between them. The silence also gave Rose a chance to prepare herself mentally for the meeting.

If the Queen was going to gloat about just how well the attack had been handled it was going to be extremely difficult for Rose to just sit and listen, and God forbid, even agree with her. She was going to have to ensure she had hold of Dimitri's hand at all times to try and keep her from completely losing her mind.

Finally they arrived and were ushered to the Queen's office by two guardians. As she had each time Rose had met with her, she sat behind the luxurious large desk, shuffling through mountains of paperwork. _I'm sure it's just an act_, Rose thought, _I doubt she actually does that much work_.

Rose shook away the invading thoughts as she and Dimitri walked slowly towards the desk. And just as the other times Rose had been in the office, the Queen ignored them, focusing only on the papers in her hand. The rudeness annoyed Rose, and it caused her to reel with even more distaste for the woman.

"Please sit, I won't be a moment," the Queen muttered.

Rose and Dimitri sat in the lavish chairs across from the Queen, the desk a welcome barrier between Rose and the woman she had come to detest even more since arriving on court. Dimitri continued to hold Rose's hand, as if he knew she required his presence to calm her.

"Thank you for meeting with me again, Rosemarie," the Queen said as she moved the paperwork off to the side. "Guardian Belikov, nice to see you."

The kindness in her voice was forced, and Rose knew it. Dimitri squeezed her hand slightly, the simple gesture did a lot to keep her calm and focused. She only hoped it would continue granting that same serenity throughout the meeting.

"How can I help you… your Majesty?" Rose asked, her voice strained to stay level.

"Oh, just a couple of things today Rosemarie," the Queen replied. "Firstly I would like to thank you for your efforts during the attack. I have had heard several reports which have all said your speed, lethality and commitment surely helped against the threat."

Rose bit her tongue. I long list a profanities had lined up screaming to be heard out loud. The audacity and blizzard like nature of the Queen was startling, but Rose hadn't expected any different from her. She knew Tatiana didn't care about how many people had been killed in the attack, she just wanted to take the glory of the attack being stopped for herself.

Rose also knew that when she finally broke her silence about the Queen's lack of action, it wouldn't be to claim the gratification for herself. It would be a warning to the moroi and dhampir. They needed to know their best interests weren't at the forefront of the Queen's mind. She was more willing to save an event than her own people. And as far as Rose could see, that kind of person had no place ruling. Especially not when their races battled to survive every day.

"Secondly," the Queen continued. "I will be holding a memorial event. To honour the lives we lost during the attack. Many royal moroi lost their lives at the hands of strigoi that day, and their memory will be the focus of the event."

"What sort of event are we talking about here?" Rose asked, her blood boiling in her veins.

"A ball, much like the one that was supposed to be held," the Queen replied, not skipping a beat.

"Are you serious?" Rose gasped incredulously.

"Quite so Rosemarie," the Queen stated.

"And only the memory of royal moroi will be honoured?" She was struggling to keep her emotions and attitude in check, and the Queen definitely wasn't making it an easy task.

"That is correct," the callous bitch replied. "Of course all moroi will have the opportunity to attend. Such an event will not be divided, but the royal moroi will be the main focus."

If the Queen's audacity and blizzard like nature had been startling before, but it had quickly turned it to something that made Rose feel ill. She was at a complete loss for words. She didn't want to believe what the Queen was saying, but the woman's steel like face revealed she was speaking nothing but the truth.

Only the royals mattered, end of story, and Rose considered the strong possibility that they only mattered so the Queen could look good in front of the council. And having non-royal moroi attend the ball would surely only rub their faces in the dirt.

"I would like to introduce you at the ball," the Queen stated once the silence stretched on too long. "I know it is against everything you stand for Rosemarie, but it's time people know of the Watcher's existence."

"I couldn't agree more," Rose state, her voice fresh with new prospects.

Rose felt Dimitri stiffen beside her, and she knew what she'd just said had shocked him. Darshwana had been right, an opportunity had presented itself where Rose could easily make people aware of what actually occurred before the attack happened. She could tell them how the Queen had been advised to start evacuating court, but the advice had been ignored.

"Oh…well… that's great," the Queen stuttered, obviously shocked by Rose's agreement.

Rose managed to wrap the meeting up quickly, staying merely to gather the details for the upcoming ball. Rose had just a day and a half to prepare, that didn't worry her, she was already ready for it.

"You actually agreed to being introduced to everyone? You won't be able to hide anymore," Dimitri said as they left the palace, worry laced his tone.

Rose stopped and turned to face him, peering up to meet his eyes.

"Yes, and I have good reason for it too," she replied softly. "Firstly, the ball is the perfect stage to announce what the Queen did, and secondly," she ran her fingers across his jaw line, "I want to stay with you, so people are going to find out sooner or later, why put it off and cause more hassles?"

Dimitri's lips crushed into her with ferocity and passion as her words melted into his heart.

"You're staying?" he asked, sounding slightly like a giddy boy.

"I have no choice Dimitri, my home is wherever you are."


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Sorry for the delay with this chapter. Moving house seemed to chew up this last month something shocking, and I had to wait 3 weeks just to get internet back on. Hope you like the chapter though!

WHEN THE TRUTH COMES OUT

Rose stood in the wing of the small stage that had been set up purely for the occasion. Crowded tightly in front of the stage was hundreds, if not thousands, of moroi and dhampir that had ventured out to attend the lavish ball. With champagne flutes in hand, their faces were slightly flushed from the excitement and alcohol.

The Queen was positioned behind the overly expensive podium, smiling and waving to the adoring crowd. She was waiting for the cheering to die down, but it was obvious she was more than enjoying the attention.

Rose, however, couldn't stand the sound emanating from those gathered below the stage. They were cheering for all the wrong reasons, thinking the woman was some kind of hero, when she was most definitely not. The crowd's unwavering love and support for the one person responsible for the attack causing so much devastation was sickening. Nausea swirled inside Rose's stomach as the cheering went on and on.

The ball had been left as an open invitation event, and moroi and dhampir had flocked to the opulent ballroom. Events of that nature rarely – if ever before – had invitations extended to only those without a high standing within the community. It was a chance for common moroi and dhampir to see what they'd been missing out on due to their birth rights.

_If only they knew they and their loved ones weren't cared for by her Majesty, Queen Bitch, _Rose thought bitterly.

The Queen had made it clear to her that only royal moroi who had lost their lives during the attack were going to be mentioned at the ball, and Rose knew it was only so the bitch could score brownie points with the council. Yet the sad reality was that not nearly as many royals had died as other moroi and dhampir in the attack.

Rose's thoughts crossed to the speech she was about to make. She was nervous, but that mainly came from the fact she was about to be revealed to people she didn't know, and therefore didn't trust. There was only a handful of people Rose trusted with her true identity, and they were her closest friend. Apart from them she wished more than anything she could have remained in the shadows.

She had only agreed to the Queen's request of being revealed as it was her opening to make sure people knew what the Queen hadn't done in the lead up to the attack. Rose also knew it was the only way she'd be able to stay with Dimitri. Even with this knowledge, though, every fibre of her being was telling her to run and not look back, she was never meant to be known.

But running was never an option for Rose. She'd been taught early in her watcher training that running was a sign of weakness, and none of her enemies could ever see her in a weakened state. That of course was hard to get her head around since the first lesson Dimitri had taught her was that if the situation was too much to handle, run.

But in that moment Rose knew the main reason she couldn't run was because people needed to know the real story behind the attack, whether they lived on court or not. They needed to know the Queen had been warned countless times that it wasn't going to be a small scale attack. They needed to know that the woman who had sworn to protect them had refused to start evacuating court when there had still been plenty of time to do so. And finally, they needed to know that the woman who stood before them now, smiling as if everything was perfect, cared more for her precious annual ball than the lives of her people living on court, royal moroi included.

Rose also knew she couldn't run from Dimitri, she couldn't leave him again. Not because she needed him close in order for her to live, but because without him around there was no reason for her to live. She needed him more than she could have ever known. He made her feel more alive than she ever had before. He made her feel complete.

And she drew strength from the knowledge that he was out in the crowd somewhere, cheering for her.

Finally the cheering began to die down. The Queen continued to look out upon the crowd, not saying a word until all was quiet.

"I am so very pleased with the attendance tonight," she began, her voice and posture were regal as she glanced from left to right. Rose was sure she wasn't looking at the crowd though. "It isn't often that we have a chance to hold an event such as this, albeit a sad occasion, it is also a celebration that we are able to come together. The court as a whole suffered a devastating loss when we were attacked by the creatures we all wish never existed. And it's only right that the court as a whole be able to gather together to remember the ones we lost."

The Queen paused, allowing time for her words to sink in. It wasn't as though she had said anything that was full of meaning though.

Rose felt her blood beginning to boil as she dreaded what the Queen was going to say next. Rose knew just how cold the woman could be.

"Tonight we take pause to remember those who we have lost," the Queen said. "We have come together as a show of strength and courage, to show our enemies that we cannot be beaten." She paused as the crowd cheered in response to her words. It only angered Rose more. "Our guardians did an amazing job, and without them the outcome could have been a lot worse. But tonight I want to honour the royal moroi who lost their lives during the attack."

The Queen paused again, but was only greeted by a few out of place claps. Rose could see her discomfort as silence filled the ballroom, the woman had been expecting more cheering, as if the royal families were everything to everyone. Rose took some satisfaction in this, though ensured she remained impartial on the outside.

"But before we continue with the memorial, I would like to introduce a guest we have with us tonight."

The Queen had veered well away from the order of events. There was supposed to be a slide show of photos, a song performed by a group of royals, and a long speech by the Queen before Rose was introduced. But all of this had been forgotten in the wake of the less than expected response to her overlook of others who had lost their lives in the attack.

"I am sure many of you were told childhood stories of the almighty force that helped keep the dark forces of the night away," the Queen stated, her voice not showing the confidence it had only moments before. "And many of you, I am sure, believe these stories to be just fables, something your parents told you to help you sleep better at night. I recently discovered they were not just tales, there is a person just as described in these stories, if not better. For many centuries the Watcher has existed without the knowledge of anyone, but tonight she is ready to meet those she helps protect." A round of gasps filled the room. "I would like to introduce the Watcher."

Rose left the cover of the wing and walked slowly across the stage, stopping when she was standing next to the Queen. The contrast between the two was much more apparent as they stood side by side in their gowns. The Queen had opted for a dark grey gown with long sleeves. Apart from a stitched design down the left side, it was quite plain. Rose on the other hand wore a flowing white strapless chiffon gown. The top curved perfectly over her chest, tightly fitted with a band of glittering diamantes under her bust. The gown flowed elegantly down her slender body and rested perfectly on the floor, thanks to her six-inch heels.

_Light and dark, good and evil, _Rose thought as she forced a smile in the Queens direction.

The crowd looked at Rose in awe. She was different to them, that was no secret, but the way they looked at her – mouths agape and eyes wide – was as if she was some kind of Goddess. She suddenly felt subconscious and uncomfortable under their weighty gaze. Instead of running – as her instinct was screaming at her to do – she looked out into the crowd. Searching for the one person who could undoubtedly calm her racing mind.

Rose found exactly what she was looking for in a pair of chocolate brown eyes.

Instantly her mind slowed and she was able to focus on the task at hand. Her confidence was back. She was confident in what she had to do. She was confident things would work out as they were supposed to.

Of course, Rose had no idea how things were supposed to turn out. Darshwana hadn't exactly been forthcoming with that information. But Rose knew she had to trust the woman who came to her dreams, to guide her, to answer the endless amount of questions she had.

Rose turned her attention back to the Queen and nodded swiftly, indicating she was ready to address the crowd. The Queen returned the nod before walking swiftly from the stage. No doubt she needed to regain her composure after a less than satisfactory reaction from her people. But Rose took no care for that.

Once again Rose found Dimitri's eyes, she smiled softly and began.

"I know many of you must be shocked, or confused by my being here," Rose started. "The tale of the Watcher has been passed down through countless generations, I know I heard of this extraordinary person from my best friend's mother when we were only children." Rose paused as the crowd gasped and talked amongst each other. "I was a dhampir before my life changed and I swore myself to the life of the Watcher," she stated at their reaction. "But that's not what I wish to speak about tonight,"

Rose sucked in a deep breath as she searched her brain to recapture what she had been supposed to talk about. She needed to remain on track, otherwise she feared the topic of importance would be lost.

"I was summoned to court a few weeks ago. I'm still not sure how her Majesty managed to track me down, but indeed she did, and for a reason of grave importance. She knew an attack was being planned against court. She had decided this information needed to be kept secret as she did not want mass panic spreading, she didn't feel it necessary for even the guardians to know. The people who serve and protect the very place you live in. I worked under the radar, trying to locate the threat, or at least find out additional information."

Rose paused again. Countless whispered conversations were breaking out, and she figured time was required for her words to sink in. But the most important facts were yet to come.

"I patrolled around court for almost a week," Rose continued. "I searched every place strigoi could possibly hide, but I continued to come up empty. There was no sign of strigoi anywhere near court, so I moved my parameters outwards and ended up in town. I was all but ready to leave and return to base when I located a lone strigoi." Rose took a deep breath, the most important part was imminent, and she was growing nervous. "Through necessary means I was able to gain the information I required to confirm the impending attack, and the volume that was to be expected."

The crowd was hanging on Rose's every word. Her eyes continually glanced over the faces starring up at her, she needed them to know she was talking to them, not at them. Only when she felt overwhelmed or she was having difficulty finding the right words would she find Dimitri again. The same relaxing energy washed over her every time their eyes met.

"I returned to court straight away and told the Queen what I had found out. I know a lot of you would believe that since the information came from a strigoi it couldn't be trusted, but part of being the Watcher means you have an inbuilt lie-detector. I can also show others, not through force, that I am telling the truth." Rose more than hated giving away information about her abilities, but the information was crucial in having people understand what really happened. "I alerted the Queen to what I knew, and what she didn't do is something I know in myself I can never forgive." Rose took a deep breath, she knew once the words left her mouth she would never be able to take them back. Nor would she be able to change the reaction they would generate. "I advised the Queen it was time to begin evacuating court, for the safety of the people who live here. She had more than enough time to do so, and provide the guardians with enough time to prepare. But she wouldn't allow that to happen because she was planning the annual ball. My advice fell on deaf ears, her Majesty didn't even consult with the council to seek their opinions. Instead she left her people open to slaughter."

The crowd was becoming vocal and disruptive as Rose let go of those final words. She heard a commotion from the wing of the stage and looked over to find the Queen glaring at her with intense hatred. From the commotion going on through the gathered moroi and dhampir, Rose couldn't tell how many were angered by what they had just heard, nor could she determine whether they were in fact angry with her, or the Queen.

Rose looked back to the wing to see the Queen being ushered away by her own guardians. Of course that was a good idea, it was as if Rose wanted the woman dead. She wanted Tatiana to be known for who she is. A monarch who couldn't care less for the safety of her people.

Dimitri rushed to the stage, urging Rose to go with him. In an instant Rose was in his arms and he was running to the closest exit.

"The group will meet at your accommodation," Dimitri said close to her ear. "Hope you don't mind the idea of a slumber party, we might have to wait it out for a couple of days."

"Are they angry with me?" Rose asked, her voice shaking slightly from her nerves.

"No, Roza," Dimitri replied softly. "They are angry with the royals, and more pointedly the Queen."

Once outside Dimitri set Rose on the ground, and together they ran in the direction of her accommodation. The sun had already risen, though it was still low in the sky, the only sound was their feet as they hit the pavement. Rose couldn't help but wonder what she had caused. Her words had caused a reaction she hadn't quite expected, though in reality she understood. People had lost family members and friends, and they had just heard those deaths could have been avoided. Anger and hurt could drive people to do unspeakable acts. Rose just hoped it wouldn't go that far.


	16. Chapter 16

UNEXPECTED

It took three days for the royal court to once again resemble some sort of order, the guardians had worked around the clock restoring a small level of peace to the unsettled people. After the ball riots had broken out, the damage was extensive, and after three days people still had no answers.

Rose couldn't help but feel guilty. She had been the one to out the woman who had been the cause of such devastation during the attack. So she took the actions of moroi and dhampir on her shoulders, and she was having a hard time distinguishing the difference between what the Queen had done and what she had done.

And although the riots had ceased, the air that hung over court was still unsettled.

The council were weary of making any decisions. They didn't want to cause unrest again, but they also needed a solution, and fast. Their world needed a new monarch, someone who could lead the people out of the anger and despair that was rapidly sinking in, but they were unsure on the best way to elect such a person.

"Rose?" Lissa asked quietly, bringing Rose slightly away from her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"I wish I knew," Rose replied honestly with a sigh.

The Watcher had barely said a word to anyone since the riots had begun. Once she knew her friends and family were safe she had closed into herself. It was the only way she knew how to cope. The torment she was experiencing was overwhelming to say the very least, and no matter how many times her loved ones tried to convince her it hadn't been her fault, she just couldn't believe them.

"Didn't Darshwana tell you things would turn out as they were supposed to?" Lissa questioned, it wasn't the first time someone had asked Rose that exact question. "This is how it was supposed to be Rose, this is how change is going to be implemented."

"I didn't want any of this," Rose said quietly, taking Lissa off guard. "I never wanted to be what I am now. I wanted to return to the academy with you and everyone else. But they gave me no choice."

Rose's confession left Lissa lost for words. She had told the group in not so many words that she hadn't had a choice when she'd been taken away. But her words in that moment were raw and full of grief, just the emotion portrayed in them left Lissa bewildered.

The Watcher's emotions were all over the place. What had started as out as a reaction to the unrest on court had quickly snowballed into everything she had pushed to the back of her mind. Suddenly years of hurt, anger, betrayal and loss were coming to the forefront and Rose wasn't able to deal with the onslaught. And this led to Rose mistakenly saying things she had never meant to say.

"What do you mean?" Lissa asked, unsure she actually wanted to know the answer.

"It doesn't matter," Rose said as she shook her head and the unwanted near confession away.

She'd already told them too much, and any more would inevitably hurt them. The last thing she wanted was for them to feel guilty or responsible for what had happened to her. Yes, she had become the Watcher for the ones she loved, but that decision had been easy, especially with what the others had threatened her with. Rose had always been willing to sacrifice everything for them, Lissa especially. And becoming the Watcher was just one moment in time that proved her willingness to do so.

"I wish you would talk to me Rose," Lissa whispered sadly. "We used to be so close."

"Things are different now Liss," Rose replied as she looked up at the blond moroi. "But nothing would make me change the decision I made if time was somehow turned back. You have always been the most important person to me, you and Dimitri are the reason I live and do what I do."

"Oh Rose," Lissa sobbed as she threw her arms around her best friend's neck.

Rose held Lissa tightly as she sobbed softly into her shoulder. Rose had dearly missed her best friend, and she hoped more than anything that some day their relationship would go back to the way it had been. She hoped that she'd be able to tell her why she had become the Watcher, and she longed for the feeling of despair to leave them both. But Rose knew that was just a pipe dream, and the likelihood of it happening was less than slim.

Lissa pulled away from Rose upon hearing Dimitri clear his throat in the doorway of the bedroom. Rose looked up into the eyes she would forever get lost in and a small fragment of a smile formed on her lips.

"The council has finally decided on how the new monarch will be chosen," Dimitri announced.

"And?" Lissa prompted as she swiped the tears away from her eyes. It was the announcement the whole of court had been waiting for.

"The new monarch will be decided by a public vote."

Both Rose and Lissa looked dumbfounded at him, unable to completely process his words. A public vote was unheard of in their world, and it showed just how desperate the council was. For the moroi world, the King or Queen was determined by a series of physical and mental tests to ensure they were capable of such a role.

"A public vote?" Lissa asked, the words sounded foreign coming from her lips.

"Yes, Princess, the council believe it is the best way to bring harmony back to the people," Dimitri replied.

"How will that work?" Rose questioned. "It's not something that's ever been done here before, and who will be able to vote?"

"From what the report said, there will be a number of royal moroi nominated for the role, they will campaign their ideas and so on, then on a set date the public will vote," he explained.

"Well that's…different," Lissa stated.

Rose considered the prospect of the public voting for their monarch. While it was different, she wondered if it just might be the way their world was supposed to go. It was a massive change though. The tradition of the moroi monarchy had been in place for centuries, someone was put into the role of King or Queen without anyone ever really getting a say in it. No one even knew what tests the applicants went through that formed the decision.

"I hope it works," Rose muttered softly.

"Roza, we've been over this," Dimitri said softly as he knelt in front of her. "The only person at fault for any of this is Tatiana."

"I don't see how what I did was any better," Rose said, holding Dimitri's gaze.

"All you did was tell the truth Roza, it was something everyone needed to know." Dimitri's hand clasped Rose's cheek softly. "You did what someone should have done a long time ago, I'm sure the Queen has done something like this in the past, but no one else was willing to stand up for all of us."

Rose sighed. She didn't want to argue with any of them, but she wanted them to be able to see where she was coming from. The problem with that was she didn't exactly understand her guilt. Deep inside a voice was shouting at her, telling her she had done the right thing, no matter what the consequences had been. It wasn't even close to being as bad as what the Queen had done. After all, the Queen had blood on her hands, Rose didn't.

So she decided it was time to try and explain at least that to the two people who she hoped could understand.

"Deep down, I know I was right in what I did," Rose stated. "But, this feeling of guilt just won't go away. It continues to swirl inside my stomach, bringing me to feel nauseous. I don't know what it means, and I haven't seen Darshwana since before the ball."

"Perhaps it's something else then?" Lissa offered.

"I wish I knew what," Rose replied. "But until I work it out, please bare with me."

"I'm not going anywhere," Dimitri said, his voice clearly showing the confidence he felt.

"Me either," Lissa said with a smile.

Lissa left the room, explaining she was going to see Christian. Though Rose suspected she was giving her and Dimitri some time alone. For three days they hadn't had much alone time, and Rose knew that was partly her fault. She had shut herself away from everyone, including Dimitri.

"I'm sorry for the past few days," Rose said as rested her head against his firm chest.

"There's no reason to be sorry my Roza," he said softly before softly kissing the top of her head.

"Of course there is," she disagreed. "I shut you out, but it's the only way I know."

"It's more than just the riots, isn't it?"

"It started as just that," Rose admitted, it was completely foreign to her, she hadn't spoken to anyone about her feelings since pledging herself to be the Watcher. "But then everything from the past four years or so just snowballed, it's overwhelming."

Dimitri didn't say anything. His arms slightly tightened around her as he pulled her closer to his chest. It was all she needed to feel content. She knew Dimitri wouldn't push her to open up, and for that she was thankful. She needed time to work through the emotions that plagued her, at least that's what she hoped for.

Rose hadn't realised she'd fallen asleep until an unfamiliar image formed in her mind. Darshwana sat elegantly on what looked like a lavish day bed. But the woman's focus wasn't on Rose. She looked into the distance, staring into the landscape that had been created for their meeting. The trickling sound of a creek could be heard in between the songs of birds, rabbits hopped uncaring looking for a patch of grass to graze upon.

"Darshwana?" Rose asked softly. She had never seen the woman seem so lost in the view.

"Rose, come and sit, please," Darshwana invited, her eyes not leaving the magical forest that surrounded them.

Rose sat by Darshwana's feet and took in the scenery herself. She had never really had a chance to do so as the dreams often held an urgency that neither of them could ignore. Rose knew the dreams had never taken place in a forest before though, often they had been in an office like room, but the change was welcome. The forest was filled with life, from the trees that stood tall, to the animals that frolicked and grazed. Everything was simple, yet perfect

"It's beautiful here," Rose said, breathing in the fresh air.

"That it is," Darshwana replied as she finally looked at Rose. "Perfect for our meeting today."

"Why do you say that?" Rose asked, her brow crinkled from her confusion.

"We'll get to that soon, but I believe you want to know why the riots needed to occur."

Darshwana's words concluded in a statement instead of a question. The woman knew Rose, and that brought comfort to the Watcher. She did want to know why the riots had occurred, but Darshwana's previous statement about the forest being the perfect place for the meeting played on Rose's mind.

"While it may seem your words of truth caused the riots to take place they did not," Darshwana said, her soft melodic voice danced with the breeze. "The riots occurred because the moroi and dhampir have lost trust in running of their world. This is something that has been happening for a long time Rose, the riots were going to occur. It's just that hearing the truth from you caused them to happen a little sooner than they might have."

Darshwana paused, allowing Rose time to comprehend her words. Rose knew there the dhampir in particular had been becoming more untrusting of moroi for a long time. The expectations on dhampir had been becoming questionable, but she hadn't realised that the moroi had begun losing trust as well. There had been some moroi who believed they should be taught to use their abilities to fight along side their guardians, and there were always whispers that some people had actually taken it upon themselves to do so. But in truth, Rose had never thought things had been this bad.

"Tatiana wasn't well liked even among the moroi," Darshwana continued. "Even the royal moroi were beginning to question if she was best suited for the role. But no one had thought to do anything about their concerns, which inevitably led to the attack being as bad as it was. They are now learning, and the public vote is such a great response to the tragedy."

"Is the public vote going to work the way they want it to though?" Rose asked.

"It will exceed their expectations Rose, this is the way things should have been well before now," Darshwana explained. "But with moroi being as stubborn as they are, they believed they needed to keep with tradition."

Silence fell, allowing the sounds of the forest to once again be heard. Rose felt much more relaxed after hearing what Darshwana had said, but still her stomach was unsettled with what she could only describe as guilt. She had thought she'd felt guilty for the riots and unrest caused by her speech, but Darshwana had just told her it wasn't at all her fault, and she knew that should have made the guilt disperse.

"Why do I still feel guilty then?" Rose asked, hoping the woman who always seemed to calm her fears could shed some light on it for her.

"You don't feel guilty my dear," Darshwana replied just as a deer and its fawn came into view. "Isn't new life such a magical thing?"

"What do you mean I don't feel guilty?" Rose asked, completely missing what Darshwana had said after. "It's the only way I can describe this feeling."

"I assure you it's not guilt Rosemarie," Darshwana said as she once again looked at her. "What you are experiencing are the early signs of pregnancy. They are amplified for you because of your gifts, but all the same, that's what you're experiencing."

"Excuse me?" Rose gapped.

"It's nothing to be concerned about Rose, it's wonderful and exciting," Darshwana cooed as she smiled warmly at Rose.

"It's not possible," Rose said quickly. "I've only been with Dimitri, so it can't happen."

"You're not a dhampir anymore Rose, so it is more than possible."

"So you're telling me I'm definitely…"

"Pregnant?" Darshwana asked with a melodic laugh, finishing the sentence Rose had been unable to. "Yes, you are, and Dimitri will be thrilled."

Rose was beside herself with every emotion possible, but confusion took the main stage. She had never considered falling pregnant. Her stomach twisted once again, giving her the strong urge to throw up. She wasn't entirely sure if that was part of being pregnant or part of the shock she was most definitely experiencing.

"Please calm down Rose, your stress isn't good for the baby," Darshwana urged as she slid closer to Rose.

"What am I supposed to do?" Rose asked as she fought the tears that threatened to spill.

"As I have said Rosemarie, this is not a bad thing. I am so happy for the both of you." Darshwana placed her arm over Rose's shoulders. "Since the attack failed, strigoi will go into hiding, they did not get the desired results, and there is no chance they will try again for quite some time. You will remain the Watcher, but your duties will be on court, assisting with guardian training, as well as other forms of training which will occur after the election is held. Once you have had the child and are back in shape you can resume your responsibilities if you wish, otherwise we will find another way."

"If I wish?" Rose asked, stunned by what Darshwana had said. "I get a choice?"

"You should have always had a choice Rosemarie," Darshwana replied. "I am here to make sure you have one now."

"So I can have this baby?"

Darshwana smiled warmly at Rose before pulling her in for a hug. "Of course you can," she said.

"I'm scared," Rose admitted as she hugged Darshwana back.

"I know you are, but really there is no need. You have Dimitri, Vasilisa, all of your other friends and myself as well."

"Can I ask you one more question?" Rose asked, unsure whether it would be answered.

"Your mother will come around Rosemarie, she is…upset…but not with you. Given time you will talk to her, and she will accept everything that has happened, your relationship will be better than it was before too." Darshwana paused again to allow Rose time to absorb what she had said. "Now, it is time for you to go, you have news of your own to give."

"Thank you Darshwana, for everything."

Rose woke with a start. She was in the bed she had slept in since arriving on court, Dimitri was right beside her. His chest rose softly with each breath, and it was in that moment Rose allowed herself to smile. She smiled for the love she had found once again, she smiled for the baby they were going to bring into the world, and she smiled for the life she had been granted since returning to court.

Her confusion disappeared. Her emotions were no longer a torrent within her mind. She fully relaxed for the first time in long time. She was happy for the first time since she'd been taken away from everything she knew.

"I have a choice now," Rose whispered as she placed her hand softly on her stomach. "I have a choice, and I choose you and your Daddy, and everyone in my life. I choose love and happiness, as well as defending our world from the creatures that roam it."

Rose rolled over so she could face the man that held her heart. She loved the softness of his face as he slept, and she wanted to leave him to sleep. But she was like a kid at Christmas. She couldn't wait to tell him the news. She couldn't wait to see his face light up with joy at the prospect that they were having a child together. After all, he had always wanted a family of his own.

"Dimitri," Rose said as she shook him lightly, he murmured as he stirred slightly. "Dimitri…" Her voice was a little louder this time. "Please wake up, it's important."

In an instant Dimitri's eyes opened and scanned the room for possible threats. Rose bit back her laughter as she felt his heart beat increase in rhythm.

"What is it Roza?" he asked in a rush. "Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay," she whispered as she smiled at him. "What would you say if I told you that we were having a baby?"


End file.
